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JBRARY 

wvEftstrv  or 

iALIFORNIA 

AN  DIEGO 


AN  EXPOSITION 


(M 


TB$\ttit&  ai  %  Jpalgpt 


REV.  JAMES  DU  PUI,  A.  M. 

Chaplain    in  the  U.  S.  Army. 


PHILADELPHIA: 

J.  W.  MOORE,  No.  195  CHESTNUT  STREET. 

1853. 


Entered  according  to  Act  of  Congress,  in  the  year  1853,  by 

JAUKS  DU  PUI, 

in  the  Clerk's  Office  of  the  District  Court  for  the  Eastern  District  of  Pennsylvania. 


PREFACE. 


The  author  having  in  the  course  of  a  ministry  of  more 
than  twenty  years  made  prophecy  a  subject  of  frequent 
reading  and  study,  at  length  found  time  to  write  the 
following  discourses. 

He  ventures  to  present  them  to  the  public  in  the  hope 
that  they  will  be  found  to  throw  some  additional  light  on 
the  hidden  sense  of  the  apocalypse,  and  be  in  some  degree 
instrumental  in  promoting  attention  and  respect  to  the 
teachings  and  admonitions  of  that  wonderful  book. 

St.  John  has  declared  them  blessed  who  read  and 
hear  the  words  of  his  prophecy  and  keep  the  sayings 
written  therein. 

The  author  asks  of  those  to  whom  these  pages  may 
come,  that  they  will  not  prejudge  them  as  fanciful  and 
obscure,  but  give  them  a  candid  investigation. 


DISCOURSE   I. 

Clement  of  Alexandria,  a  learned  Christian  writer  of  the 
second  century,  makes  mention  in  one  of  his  works,  of  a  foreign 
philosophy,  which  considered  the  sensible  world  to  be  an  image 
of  an  ideal  world. 

Indeed,  in  the  philosophy  or  literature  of  all  nations,  objects 
of  sense  are  often  used  for  the  purpose  of  representing  objects  of 
an  intellectual  nature.  It  is  for  such  a  purpose,  that  sensible 
representations  are  used  in  the  revelations  communicated  to  the 
Apostle  John.  To  ascertain  the  hidden  sense  of  the  visions  re- 
corded by  him  in  the  book  of  revelation,  we  must  understand  that 
the  sensible  world  represents  an  ideal  world,  the  world  of  Roman 
rule  and  empire ;  the  Roman  world,  and  that  objects,  bodies, 
places,  properties,  and  events  in  the  one,  represent  corresponding 
objects,  bodies,  places,  properties,  and  events  in  the  other. 

Heaven,  or  the  regions  on  high,  correspond  to  the  high  places 
of  authority  or  influence.  The  sun,  moon,  and  stars,  in  the 
firmament  of  heaven,  represent  those  stations  or  persons,  who 
by  their  eminent  positions,  and  by  the  intellectual  light  and 
influences  emanating  from  them,  enlighten  and  rule  the  world. 

The  earth  being  under  the  heavens,  corresponds  to  the  place 
of  subjection  which  contains  the  governed  part  of  the  population. 

The  winds  have  their  region  and  motion  immediately  above 
the  surface  of  the  earth,  and  are  restless  in  their  nature,  ready 
t™  break  forth  into  violence  and  storm.  The  four  winds  of  the 
earth  held  or  restrained  from  blowing,  represent  the  restless 
elements  or  nations,  or  communities  on  the  frontier,  who  were 
ready  to  break  forth  in  war  and  revolution  upon  the  empire, 
but  were  kept  in  a  state  of  restraint  and  quiet  by  the  Roman 
armies.  The  earth  as  signifying  land,  represents  the  place  of 
privilege  and  stability,  occupied  by  those  subjects,  who  possess- 


10 

ing  the  name  and  rights  of  Romans,  were  fixed  and  settled  in 
their  homage  and  obedience.  The  waters,  including  fountains, 
rivers,  and  sea.s,  represent  that  portion  of  the  population  which 
consisted  of  the  less  privileged  subjects,  comprehending  people 
and  multitudes,  and  nations  and  tongues.  Fountains  and  rivers, 
represent  communities  or  nations  of  a  foreign  language  and 
civilization,  in  alliance  or  favour  with  the  Romans.  While  the 
sea  represents  the  greatness  of  provincial  subjects.  The  things 
under  the  earth,  represent  that  portion  of  the  population  who 
existed  in  an  oppressed  and  obscure  condition.  Of  the  things 
on  the  earth,  a  mountain  stands  for  some  portion  or  community 
of  the  Roman  people  eminent  and  strong. 

Trees  correspond  to  men  of  rank  and  family — the  nobility. 
While  grass  corresponds  to  the  Roman  people  of  an  inferior 
rank  and  condition.  A  living  body  represents  a  corporation. 
The  people  of  a  city  considered  as  a  body  corporate  and  politic, 
is  represented  by  a  woman,  while  a  large  or  catholic  corporation, 
including  nations  and  kingdoms,  is  represented  by  some  great 
powerful  animal.  A  horse  stands  for  a  military  corporation. 
The  word  corporation  is  derived  from  a  Latin  word,  which 
means,  a  living  body.  Man  is  especially  distinguished  from  the 
lower  animal  creation  by  a  sense  of  religion,  and  so  men  are 
intended  to  convey  the  idea  of  religious  worshippers.  The  dif- 
ferent tribes  of  Israel,  represent  the  different  Roman  communi- 
ties, where  Christianity  is  the  prevailing  or  established  religion. 
While  nations  and  kindreds,  and  people  and  tongues,  represent 
the  different  Roman  communities  where  idolatry  or  paganism  is 
the  prevailing  religion.  The  word  nation,  or  Gentile,  or  heathen, 
is  a  translation  of  the  same  Greek  word,  and  is  in  many  parts 
of  scripture  used  as  synonymous  with  idolaters. 

From  the  prophet  Ezekiel,  we  learn  that  in  measuring  periods 
of  idolatrous  oppression  and  tyranny,  a  day  is  the  divinely  ap- 
pointed representative  of  a  year.  .  Perhaps  the  word  in  this 
sense  is  to  be  confined  to  such  periods,  and  is  not  intended  to 
apply  to  the  predicted  1000  years  of  blessedness. 


11 

Attaching  such  corresponding  signification  to  the  several  sen- 
sible objects  mentioned,  let  us  proceed  to  ascertain  the  meaning 
concealed  under  such  a  covering,  in  those  visions  or  sensible 
representations  narrated  in  the  6th  and  7.th  chapters  of  the 
Book  of  the  Revelation  of  St.  John. 

In  the  first  three  chapters,  the  Apostle  narrates  what  he  had 
seen  and  heard  of  matters  relating  to  his  own  times,  but  in  the 
beginning  of  the  4th  chapter,  he  apprises  us  that  he  is  going  to 
narrate  what  he  had  seen  and  heard  of  matters  relating  to  future 
times. 

Revelations,  Chap.  4th  and  5th. — "After  this  I  looked, 
and,  behold,  a  door  was  opened  in  heaven  :  and  the  first  voice 
which  I  heard  was  as  it  were,  of  a  trumpet  talking  with  me  ; 
which  said,  Come  up  hither,  and  I  will  show  thee  things  which 
must  be  hereafter.  And  immediately  I  was  in  the  Spirit :  and, 
behold,  a  throne  was  set  in  heaven,  and  one  sat  on  the  throne. 
And  he  that  sat  was  to  look  upon  like  a  jasper  and  a  sardine 
stone  :  and  there  was  a  rainbow  round  about  the  throne,  in 
sight  like  unto  an  emerald.  And  round  about  the  throne  were 
four  and  twenty  seats  :  and  upon  the  seats  I  saw  four  and  twenty 
elders  sitting,  clothed  in  white  raiment ;  and  they  had  on  their 
heads  crowns  of  gold.  And  out  of  the  throne  proceeded  light- 
nings and  thunderings  and  voices :  and  there  were  seven  lamps 
of  fire  burning  before  the  throne,  which  are  the  seven  Spirits  of 
God.  And  before  the  throne  there  was  a  sea  of  glass  like  unto 
crystal :  and  in  the  midst  of  the  throne,  and  round  about  the 
throne,  were  four  beasts  full  of  eyes  before  and  behind.  And 
the  first  beast  was  like  a  lion,  and  the  second  beast  like  a  calf, 
and  the  third  beast  had  a  face  as  a  man,  and  the  fourth  beast 
was  like  a  flying  eagle.  And  the  four  beasts  had  each  of  them 
six  wings  about  him ;  and  they  were  full  of  eyes  within  :  and 
they  rest  not  day  and  night,  saying,  Holy,  holy,  holy,  Lord  God 
Almighty,  which  was,  and  is,  and  is  to  come.  And  when  those 
beasts  give  glory  and  honour  and  thanks  to  him  that  sat  on  the 
throne,  who  liveth  for  ever  and  ever,  The  four  and  twenty 


12 

elders  fall  down  before  him  that  sat  on  the  throne,  and  worship 
him  that  liveth  for  ever  and  ever,  and  cast  their  crowns  before 
the  throne,  saying,  Thou  art  worthy,  0  Lord,  to  receive  glory 
and  honour  and  power ;  for  thou  hast  created  all  things,  and  for 
thy  pleasure  they  are  and  were  created." 

"  And  I  saw  in  the  right  hand  of  him  that  sat  on  the  throne  a 
book  written  within  and  on  the  backside,  sealed  with  seven  seals. 
And  I  saw  a  strong  angel  proclaiming  with  a  loud  voice,  Who  is 
worthy  to  open  the  book,  and  to  loose  the  seals  thereof?     And 
no  man  in  heaven,  nor  in  earth,  neither  under  the  earth,  was 
able  to  open  the  book,  neither  to  look  thereon.     And  I  wept 
much,  because  no  man  was  found  worthy  to  open  and  to  read 
the  book,  neither  to  look  thereon.     And  one  of  the  elders  saith 
unto  me,  Weep  not :  behold,  the  Lion  of  the  tribe  of  Juda,  the 
Root  of  David,  hath  prevailed  to  open  the  book,  and  to  loose 
the  seven  seals  thereof.     And  I  beheld,  and  lo,  in  the  midst  of 
the  throne,  and  of  the  four  beasts,  and  in  the  midst  of  the  elders, 
stood  a  lamb  as  it  had  been  slain,  having  seven  horns  and  seven 
eyes,  which  are  the  seven  spirits  of  Grod  sent  forth  into  all  the 
earth.     And  he  came  and  took  the  book  out  of  the  right  hand 
of  him  that  sat  upon  the  throne.     And  when  he  had  taken  the 
book,  the  four  beasts  and  "four  and  twenty  elders  fell  down 
before  the  Lamb,  having  every  one  of  them  harps,  and  golden 
vials  full  of  odours,  which  are  the  prayers  of  saints.     And  they 
sung  a  new  song,  saying,  Thou  art  worthy  to  take  the  book, 
and  to  open  the  seals  thereof:   for  thou  wast  slain,  and  hast 
redeemed  us  to  God  by  thy  blood,  out  of  every  kindred,  and 
tongue,  and  people,  and  nation ;    And  hast  made  us  unto  our 
God  kings  and  priests:  and  we  shall  reign  on  the  earth.     And 
I  beheld,  and  I  heard  the  voice  of  many  angels  round  about  the 
throne,  and  the  beasts  and  the  elders  :  and  the  number  of  them 
was  ten  thousand  times  ten  thousand,  and  thousands  of  thou- 
sands ;  Saying  with  a  loud  voice,  Worthy  is  the  Lamb  that  was 
slain  to  receive  power,  and  riches,  and  wisdom,  and  strength, 
and  honour,  and  glory,  and  blessing.     And  every  creature  which 


13 

is  in  heaven,  and  on  the  earth,  and  under  the  earth,  and  such 
as  are  in  the  sea,  and  all  that  are  in  them,  heard  I  saying, 
Blessing,  and  honour,  and  glory,  and  power,  be  unto  him  that 
sitteth  upon  the  throne,  and  unto  the  Lamb  for  ever  and  ever. 
And  the  four  beasts  said,  Amen.  And  the  four  and  twenty 
elders  fell  down  and  worshipped  him  that  lived  for  ever  and 
ever." 

The  sensible  representations  narrated  in  these  4th  and  5th 
chapters,  are  especially  intended  to  teach  us  that  for  the  revela- 
tion of  these  future  events,  we  are  indebted  to  the  prevailing 
merits  and  instrumentality  of  our  crucified  Redeemer. 

These  future  events  are  contained  in  a  book  sealed  with  seven 
seals,  and  this  book,  no  one  in  heaven,  or  earth,  or  under  the 
earth,  no  one  in  the  wide  creation  was  found  worthy  to  take 
and  open,  but  the  Lamb,  who  was  slain  for  us,  and  hath  re- 
deemed us  unto  Grod  by  his  blood. 

The  next  two  chapters,  the  6th  and  7th,  are  taken  up  with 
the  opening  of  six  of  the  seals,  and  the  exposure  of  their  con- 
tents. As  each  seal  is  opened  in  succession,  its  contents  are 
exposed  in  sensible  representations. 

"And  I  saw  when  the  Lamb  opened  one  of  the  seals.  And  I 
heard  as  it  were  the  noise  of  thunder,  one  of  the  four  beasts, 
saying,  Come  and  see.  And  I  saw,  and  behold  a  white  horse  : 
and  he  that  sat  on  him  had  a  bow  :  and  a  crown  was  given  unto 
him  :  and  he  went  forth  conquering  and  to  conquer." 

The  horse  with  his  rider  represents  Roman  power,  as  a  mili- 
tary corporation  under  the  direction  and  control  of  emperors. 

The  military  force  constituted  the  foundation  of  the  imperial 
government.  The  very  word  emperor,  in  its  original  import, 
signified  a  general  or  commander  of  an  army. 

White  is  the  emblem  of  justice  and  innocence.  The  white 
color  of  the  horse  is  intended  to  exhibit  the  army  as  yet  inno- 
cent of  the  vices  and  crimes  peculiar  to  a  military  corporation, 
when  it  becomes  the  controling  or  ruling  power. 

The  bow  is  the  symbol  of  power  in  war,  while  the  crown  is 


14 

the  symbol  of  monarchical  authority — the  authority  of  the 
supreme  magistrate. 

The  rider  with  the  bow  and  the  crown,  going  forth  conquer- 
ing and  to  conquer,  represents  a  succession  of  emperors,  who, 
by  their  ability  in  war  and  in  civil  government,  would  command 
universal  submission,  and  secure  universal  order  and  prosperity. 
And  such  was  the  character  of  the  army  and  of  the  emperors, 
in  the  period  that  immediately  followed  the  age  of  St.  John. 

Ireneus,  Origen  and  other  early  Christian  writers  concur  in 
saying,  that  St.  John  received  these  visions  in  the  latter  part 
of  the  reign  of  the  Emperor  Domitian.  And  if  any  man,  says 
Gribbon,  (3  chap.)  were  called  to  fix  the  period  in  the  history  of 
the  world,  when  the  human  race  was  most  happy  and  prosperous, 
he  would,  without  hesitation,  name  that  which  elapsed  from  the 
death  of  Domitian  to  the  accession  of  Commodus.  The  vast 
extent  of  the  Roman  empire  was  governed  by  absolute  power, 
under  the  guidance  of  virtue  and  wisdom.  "The  armies  were 
restrained  by  the  firm,  but  gentle  hand  of  four  successive  em- 
perors, whose  characters  and  authority  commanded  involuntary 
respect. 

During  a  period  of  four  score  years,  (Gribbon,  1  Chap.)  the 
public  administration  was  conducted  by  the  virtue  and  abilities 
of  Nerva,  Trajan,  Hadrian,  and  the  two  Antonines.  Within 
two  years  after  the  death  of  Domitian,  Trajan  succeeded  to  the 
empire.  He  was  a  warlike  Prince  and  an  able  general,  and  his 
"  reign  of  twenty  years  was  a  succession  of  military  victories 
and  conquests.  _Every  day  the  astonished  Senate  received  the 
intelligence  of  new  names  and  new  nations,  that  acknowledged 
his  sway." 

We  should  name  the  Emperor  Trajan,  if  we  might  select  a 
single  emperor,  to  represent  the  rider  on  the  white  horse  with 
the  bow  and  the  crown,  going  forth  conquering  and  to  conquer. 

The  next  three  successors  of  Trajan,  though  they  did  not 
pursue  his  system  of  conquest,  yet  commanded  the  respect  of 
the  surrounding  nations  by  the  terror  of  the  Roman  arms,  and 


15 

the  moderation  and  justice  of  their  conduct.  They  endea- 
voured to  convince  mankind  that  the  Roman  power  placed  ahove 
the  temptation  of  conquest,  was  actuated  hy  love  of  order  and 
justice.  And  hence  the  fiercest  Barbarians  frequently  submitted 
their  differences  to  the  arbitration  of  the  emperor." 

Marcus  Aurelius  was  the  last  emperor  who  made  the  good  of 
his  subjects  the  chief  object  of  his  government,  and  with  him 
expired  the  virtue  and  glory  of  the  army  and  of  imperial  power. 

Thus  from  the  end  of  the  first  century,  when  St.  John  had 
just  finished  his  labours  and  his  life,  down  to  the  year  when 
Commodus  became  emperor,  the  Roman  army  as  a  body  or  cor- 
poration, exhibited  a  fair  character  for  moderation  and  justice 
towards  the  rest  of  the  empire,  and  was  commanded  by  a  suc- 
cession of  Princes  distinguished  for  ability  and  success,  both  in 
war  and  in  civil  government. 

But  from  the  accession  of  Commodus,  the  army  exhibited  a 
new  character,  and  came  under  the  conduct  of  a  new  kind  of 
emperors. 

"  And  when  he  had  opened  the  second  seal,  I  heard  the 
second  beast  say,  come  and  see.  And  there  went  out  another 
horse,  that  was  red  (of  fire,)  and  power  was  given  to  him  to  take 
peace  from  the  earth,  and  that  they  should  kill  one  another : 
and  there  was  given  to  him  a  great  sword." 

The  color  red  or  of  fire,  is  significant  of  anger,  wrath,  hos- 
tility, and  by  the  red  or  fiery  color  of  the  horse,  we  are  taught 
that  the  army  would  now  appear  in  an  angry  and  hostile  aspect 
towards  the  rest  of  the  empire.  Such  an  angry  and  hostile 
spirit  in  the  army  was  made  manifest  in  the  reign  of  Commodus, 
who,  by  the  impunity  with  which  he  executed  his  bloody  ven- 
geance upon  Senators  and  citizens,  taught  the  soldiers  the  weak- 
ness of  the  Senate,  and  of  the  civil  authority,  and  their  own 
power  and  importance  in  the  government,  and  which  led  them 
to  usurp  the  rights  of  electing  the  emperor,  a  right  which  had 
hitherto  belonged  to  the  civil  authority.  By  the  power  or  per- 
mission given  to  the  rider  on  this  horse,  to  take  peace  from  the 


16 

earth,  and  that  they  should  kill  one  another,  we  are  to  under- 
stand that  the  course  of  the  imperial  administration  would  be 
attended  with  strife  and  war  among  the  Romans  themselves. 
And  such  was  the  fact  in  the  reigns  of  Commodus  and  of  his 
immediate  successors.  In  the  reign  of  Commodus,  the  concord 
which  had  hitherto  existed  between  the  army  and  the  civil 
authority,  was  changed  into  discord  and  strife,  and  at  his  death, 
the  whole  empire  was  involved  in  the  evils  of  civil  war. 

Besides  the  power  or  permission  given  to  this  rider  to  create 
discord  and  civil  war  among  the  Romans,  there  was  also  given 
unto  #him  a  great  sword.  To  the  rider  with  the  bow  on  the 
white  horse,  there  was  given  a  crown,  but  to  the  rider  on  the 
red  horse,  there  was  given  a  great  sword. 

While  the  bow  and  the  crown  are  symbolic,  both  of  military 
and  civil  power,  they  do  not  convey  prominently,  the  idea  of 
penal  power,  which  the  sword  does.  The  great  sword,  there- 
fore, given  to  the  rider  on  the  second  horse,  gives  us  to  under- 
stand, that  it  would  be  the  policy  of  the  emperors  represented 
by  this  rider,  to  maintain  the  order  and  submission  of  the  empire 
by  the  severity  and  terror  of  sanguinary  penal  inflictions. 

Commodus  set  the  example  of  the  cruel  use  of  this  absolute 
and  terrible  power,  with  which  he  was  invested.  But  if  we 
might  select  a  single  emperor,  we  should  name  Septenius 
Severus  as  the  rider  on  the  red  horse,  who  had  permission  to 
create  discord  and  war  on  the  Roman  earth,  and  to  whom  was 
given  the  great  sword.  He  established  himself  upon  the  im- 
perial throne  at  the  expense  of  a  bloody  civil  war,  which  con- 
vulsed the  whole  empire.  And  he  was  cruel  and  severe  in  the 
exercise  of  his  power  over  the  lives  of  his  subjects.  He  sen- 
tenced to  a  bloody  execution,  illustrious  females  and  Roman 
Senators,  and  many  of  the  noblest  provincials  of  Gaul  and 
Spain.  He  was  cruel  on  system,  and  wrote  a  treatise  in  vindi- 
cation of  his  excessive  severity  in  the  punishment  of  political 
offenders.  Gibbon,  in  the  chapters  containing  this  period  of 
Roman  history,  begins  with  a  short  paragraph  on  the  power  of 


17 

the  sword,  which  the  emperors  now  without  disguise  used  as  the 
instrument  of  government.  The  emperors  now  no  longer  took 
pains  to  conceal  the  fact,  of  the  ascendancy  and  supremacy  of 
the  sword — the  military  power. 

"And  when  he  had  opened  the  third  seal,  I  heard  the  third 
beast  say,  Come  and  see.  And  I  beheld.  And  lo,  a  black 
horse,  and  he  that  sat  on  him  had  a  pair  of  balances  in  his 
hand.  And  I  heard  a  voice  in  the  midst  of  the  four  beasts  say, 
A  measure  of  wheat  for  a  penny,  and  three  measures  of  barley 
for  a  penny,  and  see  thou  hurt  not  the  oil  and  the  wine." 

Black  being  the  sign  of  affliction,  and  of  grief,  and  mourning, 
we  may  learn  from  the  black  color  of  the  horse,  that  the  army 
would  now  exhibit  itself  in  a  character  afflictive  and  grievous  to 
the  rest  of  the  empire — exhibit  the  character  of  a  grievous  mili- 
tary despotism.  And  with  this  character  of  the  army  will  cor- 
respond the  character  of  the  imperial  administration. 

The  pair  of  balances,  or  the  yoke  which  the  rider  has  in  his 
hand,  is  the  sign  of  severe  justice,  or  heavy  and  grievous  oppres- 
sion. And  the  high  price  of  wheat  and  barley,  and  the  caution 
not  to  hurt  or  adulterate  the  oil  and  the  wine — implying  a  great 
scarcity  of  these  articles,  signify  that  this  heavy  and  grievous 
military  imperial  oppression,  would  fall  upon  the  cultivators  of 
the  soil,  and  prove  detrimental  to  agriculture.  It  was  the  saying 
of  a  Persian  monarch,  that  the  authority  of  a  prince  must  be 
defended  by  a  military  force ;  that  force  can  only  be  maintained 
by  taxes;  all  taxes  must  at  last  fall  upon  agriculture,  and 
agriculture  can  never  flourish,  but  under  the  protection  of  jus- 
tice and  moderation. 

When  the  emperors  came  to  depend  wholly  upon  the  army 
for  their  election  and  power,  it  became  their  principal  object  to 
secure  the  affection  of  that  body,  and  they  began  to  esteem  the 
good  opinion  of  the  citizens  as  of  little  moment. 

They  increased  the  pay  of  the  soldiers  to  an  extravagant  de- 
gree, and  began  to  confer  upon  them  extraordinary  donations, 
on  every  public  occasion  of  danger  or  festivity.     And  this  ex- 


18 

cessive  increase  of  their  pay,  and  of  donations,  compelled  the 
emperors  to  increase  the  weight  of  taxes,  which  falling  upon 
the  productions  of  the  soil  and  enhancing  their  prices,  pressed 
heavily  upon  the  indigent  classes  of  society.  And  the  extrava- 
gant expenditure  and  consumption  of  the  army,  and  of  the  im- 
perial government  which  had  to  he  supplied  by  the  industrious 
and  producing  classes,  now  began  to  be  felt  as  a  heavy  and  griev- 
ous yoke. 

We  may  begin  this  period  of  imperial  oppressive  taxation  with 
the  emperor  Caracalla,  the  son  of  Severus,  and  extend  it  down 
beyond  the  Emperor  Maximin. 

The  sixth  chapter  of  Gibbon,  dwells  upon  this  period,  in  the 
last  part  of  this  chapter  before  he  begins  in  the  next  chapter  to 
narrate  the  oppression  and  tyranny  of  Maximin,  he  thinks  it 
the  proper  time  and  place  to  give  us  a  short  account  of  imperial 
taxation  and  oppression.  He  begins  the  period  of  oppressive 
imperial  taxation  with  the  Emperor  Caracalla,  the  son  and  suc- 
cessor of  Septimus  Severus,  whose  policy  it  was  to  lavish  his 
favours  and  gifts  upon  the  army.  But  the  liberality  of  the 
father,  says  the  historian,  has  been  restrained  by  prudence,  and 
his  indulgence  to  the  troops,  was  tempered  by  firmness  and  au- 
thority. The  careless  profession  of  the  son  was  the  policy  of 
one  reign,  and  the  inevitable  ruin  of  the  army,  and  of  the  em- 
pire. The  vigor  of  the  soldiers  instead  of  being  confirmed  by 
the  severe  discipline  of  the  camps,  melted  away  in  the  luxuries 
of  cities.  The  excessive  increase  of  their  pay  and  donations 
exhausted  the  state  to  enrich  the  military  order. 

"  The  rapacious  son  of  Severus,  was  not  contented  with  such 
"  a  measure  of  taxation  as  had  appeared  sufficient  to  his  mode- 
"  rate  predecessors,  but  during  his  reign,  he  crushed  alike  every 
"  part  of  the  empire  under  the  weight  of  his  iron  sceptre" — his 
iron  yoke. 

This  emperor  used  the  most  iniquitous  means  to  obtain  money 
for  purchasing  the  venal  support  of  the  army.  He  confiscated 
the  property  of  the  richest  men  in  Rome.     He  impoverished 


19 

his  subjects  in  all  the  provinces  of  the  empire,  by  his  excessive 
taxes,  that  he  might  give  away  immense  sums  to  his  guards, 
and  pay  heavy  annuities  to  the  barbarians  on  the  frontiers.  He 
granted  to  all  the  free  inhabitants  of  the  empire,  the  name  and 
privileges  of  Romans,  in  order  that  he  might  derive  from  them 
additional  taxes. 

"  When  all  the  provincials,"  says  Gibbon,  "  became  liable  to 
"  the  peculiar  impositions  of  Roman  citizens,  they  seemed  to 
u  acquire  a  legal  exemption  from  the  tributes  which  they  had 
"  paid  in  their  former  condition  as  subjects.  Such  were  not  the 
"  maxims  of  government  adopted  by  Caracalla  and  his  pretended 
"  son.  The  old  as  well  as  the  new  taxes  were  at  the  same  time 
"  levied  in  the  provinces.  In  the  course  of  this  history,  we 
"  shall  be  too  often  summoned  to  explain  the  land  tax — the  capi- 
"  tation  and  the  heavy  contributions  of  corn,  wine,  oil  and  meat, 
"  which  were  exacted  from  these  provinces  for  the  use  of  the 
"  courts,  the  army  and  the  capitol." 

The  emperor  Maximin,  may  be  adduced  as  a  conspicuous  re- 
presentative of  the  rider  on  the  black  horse,  who  had  in  his  hand 
a  yoke,  and  who  was  followed  with  the  cry  of  severity  and  op- 
pression. 

"This  tyrant's  avarice,"  says  Gibbon,  u  stimulated  by  the  insa- 
"  tiate  desires  of  the  soldiers,  at  length  attacked  the  public  pro- 
"  perty.  Every  city  of  the  empire  was  possessed  of  an  independent 
"  revenue,  destined  to  purchase  corn  for  the  multitude,  and  to 
"  supply  the  expenses  of  the  games  and  entertainments.  By 
"  a  single  act  of  authority  the  whole  mass  of  wealth  was  at 
"  once  confiscated  for  the  use  of  the  imperial  treasury.  The 
"  temples  were  stripped  of  their  most  valuable  offering  of  gold 
"  and  silver,  and  the  statues  of  gods,  heroes  and  emperors  were 
"  melted  down,  and  coined  into  money.  These  impious  orders 
"  could  not  be  executed  without  tumults  and  massacres,  as  many 
"  places  the  people  choose  rather  to  die  in  the  defence  of  their 
"  altars,  than  to  behold  in  the  midst  of  peace  their  cities  expos- 
ed to  the  rapine  and  cruelty  of  war.     Throughout  the  Roman 


20 

"  world,  a  general  cry  of  indignation  was  heard  imploring  ven- 
"geance  on  the  common  enemy  of  human  kind,  and  at  length 
"  by  an  act  of  private  oppression,  a  peaceful  and  unarmed  pro- 
*  vince  was  driven  into  rebellion  against  him." 

After  the  death  of  Maximin,  there  was  a  short  intermission 
of  military  oppression,  until  in  the  reign  of  the  emperor  Philip, 
the  army  and  the  imperial  government  exhibiting  the  signs  of 
division  and  dissolution,  inflicted  on  the  empire  all  the  evils  of 
military  rule  and  despotism, 

"  And  when  he  had  opened  the  fourth  seal,  I  heard  the  voice  of 
the  fourth  beast  say,  Come  and  see.  And  I  looked  and  behold  a 
pale  horse  !  and  his  name  that  sat  on  him  was  Death,  and  hell 
followed  with  him.  And  power  was  given  unto  them  over  the 
fourth  part  of  the  earth,  to  kill  with  sword,  and  with  hunger, 
and  with  death,  and  with  the  beasts  of  the  earth." 

The  original  word  for  pale,  is  more  commonly  translated 
green.  And  the  color  green,  when  it  qualifies  grass,  or  vegeta- 
tion, denotes  health  and  vigor,  but  it  has  an  oppositive  signifi- 
cation when  it  is  used  to  qualify  an  animal  body.  It  then  de- 
notes a  state  of  decay  and  corruption. 

This  horse  had  on  him  a  rider  called  death,  and  is  accompanied 
by  hell.  Mortality  and  corruption,  are  here  personified.  The 
color  of  the  horse  portends  that  the  army  during  this  period 
would  exhibit  symptoms  of  approaching  dissolution — while 
death  and  hell,  portend  that  the  calamities  inflicted  upon  the 
Roman  people,  by  imperial  power  during  this  period,  would  be 
of  the  most  disastrous  nature. 

The  sword  is  the  emblem  of  death  inflicted  by  the  civil  mag- 
istrate or  in  war — hunger  denotes  wants  of  the  necessaries  of 
life ;  death  signifies  pestilence,  while  the  beasts,  wild  beasts  of 
the  earth,  signify  bodies,  or  combinations  of  men,  whose  object 
is  rapine  and  prey. 

The  meaning  of  the  whole  is  that  the  army  and  the  imperial 
government  approaching  a  state  of  dissolution,  would  be  accom- 
panied in  their  course  by  great  mortality  among  the  Romans, 


21 

occasioned  by  penal  executions  and  civil  war — by  famine,  by 
pestilence,  and  by  rapacious  combinations,  or  bodies  of  violent 
men.  This  period  of  Roman  history  extends  from  the  reign  of 
the  emperor  Philip,  down  to  the  death  of  Galienus.  To  the 
undiscerning  eye  of  the  vulgar,  says  Gibbon,  Philip  appeared 
a  monarch,  no  less  powerful  than  Hadrian,  or  Augustus,  had 
formerly  been.  "The  form  (of  the  monarchy,)  was  still  the 
same,  but  the  animating  health  and  vigour  were  gone." 

This  author  commences  the  chapter  which  relates  the  history 
of  this  period  in  the  following  language. 

From  the  great  secular  games  celebrated  by  Philip,  (A.  D. 
248,)  to  the  death  of  the  emperor  Galienus,  (A.  D.  268,)  there 
elapsed  twenty  years  of  shame  and  misfortune.  During  that 
calamitous  period,  every  instant  of  time  was  marked,  every  pro- 
vince of  the  Roman  world  was  afflicted  by  barbarous  invaders, 
and  military  tyrants,  wild  beasts,  and  the  ruined  empire  seemed 
to  approach  the  last  and  fatal  moment  of  its  dissolution,  and  he 
concludes  the  chapter  in  the  following  language,  relating  to  a 
general  famine,  which  prevailed  during  this  period.  This  long 
and  general  famine  says  he,  was  the  inevitable  consequence  of 
rapine  and  oppression,  which  extirpated  the  produce  of  the  pre- 
sent, and  the  hope  of  future  harvests.  Famine  is  almost  always 
followed  by  epidemical  diseases,  the  effect  of  scanty  and  un. 
wholesome  food. 

Other  causes  must  however,  have  contributed  to  the  furious 
plague,  which  from  the  year  250,  to  the  year  265,  raged  with- 
out interruption,  in  every  province,  every  city,  and  almost  every 
family  of  the  Roman  empire.  During  some  time  5,000  persons 
died  daily  at  Rome.  And  many  towns  that  had  escaped  the 
hands  of  the  barbarians  were  entirely  depopulated.  Could  we 
venture  to  extend  the  mortality  of  Alexandria,  to  the  provinces 
of  the  empire,  we  might  suspect  that  war,  (the  sword,)  pesti- 
lence, (death,)  and  famine,  (hunger,)  had  consumed  in  a  few 
years  a  moiety  of  the  human  species. 

During  the   reign  of  Galienus,  the  imperial  throne  was  con- 
3 


22 

tested  by  nineteen  pretenders,  and  the  empire  infested  by  a  gen- 
eral irruption  of  the  barbarians,  so  that  while  the  public  forces 
of  the  state,  were  dissipated  in  private  quarrels,  the  defenceless 
provinces  lay  exposed  to  every  invader.  "  The  bravest  usurpers 
"  were  compelled  by  the  perplexity  of  their  situation,  to  con- 
"  elude  ignominious  treaties  with  the  common  enemy,  to  pur- 
"  chase  with  oppressive  tributes  the  neutrality  or  service  of  the 
"  barbarians,  and  to  introduce  hostile  and  independent  nations 
"  into  the  heart  of  the  Roman  monarchy.  Such  were  the  bar- 
"  barians,  and  such  the  tyrants,  who  under  the  reigns  of 
"  Valerian  and  Galienus,  dismembered  the  provinces  and  re- 
"  duced  the  empire  to  the  lowest  pitch  of  disgrace  and  ruin,  from 
11  which  it  seemed  impossible  that  it  should  ever  emerge."  For 
its  escape  from  utter  ruin,  it  was  chiefly  indebted  to  the  emperor 
Aurelian — but  even  in  a  battle  fought  with  the  barbarians  under 
this  able  emperor,  the  Romans  received  so  severe  a  blow,  that 
the  immediate  dissolution  of  the  empire  was  apprehended. 

This  indeed  was  the  last  stage  of  the  imperial  government, 
considered  as  a  military  power. 

After  this  calamitous  period  a  revolution  in  the  Roman  con- 
stitution, was  begun  by  Diocletian,  and  consummated  by  Constan- 
tine,  and  his  successors.  One  of  the  principles  of  the  new  system 
introduced  by  Diocletian,  was  division.  He  divided  the  empire 
— the  provinces  and  every  branch  of  the  civil  as  well  as  mili- 
tary administration. 

The  object  of  such  division  was  to  establish  a  proper  balance 
between  the  civil  and  military  powers.  But  this  division  of 
power  which  had  been  commenced  by  Diocletian,  and  improved 
by  Constantine  and  his  successors,  while  it  secured  the  tran- 
quility of  the  emperor,  destroyed  the  vigor  and  power  of  the 
army. 

The  imperial  power  became  a  simple  despotism,  with  more  of 
a  political  than  of  a  military  character.  The  great  curse  of  the 
Romans,  during  several  centuries  had  been  military  despotism, 
but  the  license  of  the  turbulent  soldiery  was  now  checked  and 


23 

restrained  by  the  pride  and  pomp  with  which  the  civil  and  im- 
perial authority  was  surrounded — and  the  despotism  of  a 
court,  was  put  in  place  of  the  despotism  of  a  camp,  and  thus 
the  Roman  power  ceased  to  be  a  military  despotism,  and  in  the 
next  period  of  Roman  history,  it  appears  in  the  character  of  a 
religious  despotism,  attempting  the  extermination  of  Christianity. 
And  consequently  the  horse  is  no  longer  used  to  represent  the 
Romans  as  a  body  corporate,  but  a  different  animal  is  used  for 
this  purpose  in  a  subsequent  (12th)  chapter. 


DISCOURSE  II. 
Revelations,  vi.  9-11. 

"  And  when  he  had  opened  the  fifth  seal,  I  saw  under  the  altar  the 
souls  of  them  that  were  slain  for  the  word  of  God,  and  for  the  testi- 
mony which  they  held.  And  they  cried  with  a  loud  voice,  saying.  How 
long,  Oh  Lord,  holy  and  true,  dos't  thou  not  judge  and  avenge  our  blood 
on  them  that  dwell  on  the  earth.  And  white  robes  were  given,  unto 
every  one  of  them :  and  it  was  said  unto  them,  that  they  should  rest 
yet  for  a  little  season,  until  their  fellow  servants  also,  and  their  brethren 
which  should  be  killed  as  they  were,  should  be  fulfilled." 

Here  the  souls  or  persons  of  those  who  had  sacrificed  their 
lives  for  their  Christian  faith  and  testimony,  are  represented  as 
under  the  altar,  and  from  thence  calling  upon  God,  with  a  loud 
voice,  and  inquiring  how  much  longer  he  would  allow  the  dwel- 
lers on  the  earth — the  pagan  Romans,  to  shed  the  blood  of 
Christians  with  impunity.  And  the  purport  of  the  answer  to 
their  inquiry  was,  that  they  should  wait  patiently  for  a  short 
time,  until  the  pagan  Romans  in  their  sanguinary  persecution  of 
Christians  had  filled  up  a  certain  measure,  beyond  which  the 
judgment  of  G-od  would  overtake  them,  and  deprive  them  of 
their  persecuting  power. 

From  the  contents  of  this  fifth  seal,  we  learn  that  the  teachers 


24 

and  professors  of  Christianity  were  now  to  suffer  a  short,  hut 
final  period  of  sanguinary  persecution  at  the  hands  of  the  Pa- 
gan Romans. 

This  period  of  pagan  Roman  persecution  hegan  in  the  reign 
of  Diocletian.  It  terminated  upon  the  accession  of  Constan- 
tine,  to  the  undivided  imperial  throne,  when  the  pagans  lost 
their  power  and  influence  with  the  government,  and  were  no 
longer  allowed  to  persecute  men  unto  death,  merely  because 
they  were  Christians.  Whenever  any  great  calamity  befell  the 
empire,  such  as  civil  war  or  famine,  or  pestilence,  the  pagans 
ascribed  it  to.  the  christians  for  neglecting  the  established  wor- 
ship, and  not  only  vented  their  rage  against  them  in  popular  out- 
breaks but  persuaded  and  stirred  up  the  government  to  punish 
and  exterminate,  what  they  termed  a  pestilent  sect. 

If  the  Tiber,  (says  Tertullian,  who  lived  in  the  second  cen- 
tury,) has  overflowed  its  banks,  or  the  Nile  has  not  overflowed, 
if  heaven  has  refused  its  rain  :  if  the  earth  has  been  shaken ; 
if  famine  or  plague  has  spread  its  ravages,  the  cry  is  immed- 
iately raised — "Away  with  the  Christians  to  the  lions."  It  was 
the  mistaken  belief  of  the  pagans  that  the  prosperity  of  the 
empire,  was  connected  with  the  due  observance  of  the  estab- 
lished religion,  and  hence  when  they  found  themselves  suffering 
under  some  general  misfortune  and  calamity,  they  regarded  such 
misfortune  and  calamity  as  evidences  of  the  displeasure  of  the 
God's,  for  the  neglect  of  their  worship. 

Now  as  Christianity  was  every  year  drawing  away  multitudes 
from  the  pagan  worship,  and  bringing  that  worship  into  neglect 
and  disuse,  the  cry  against  them  upon  every  repetition  of  cal- 
amity that  befell  the  empire,  became  louder  and  louder,  urging 
the  government  to  use  severe  measures  with  the  teachers  and 
professors  of  Christianity,  in  order  to  stop  the  progress  of  that 
pestilent  religion.  At  length  after  a  period  of  extraordinary 
public  calamity  which  the  pagans  ascribed  to  the  prevalence  of 
Christianity,  and  the  consequent  neglect  of  the  pagan  worship, 
they  prevailed  upon  the  government  in  the  reign  of  Diocletian, 


25 

to  attempt  the  utter  extermination  of  the  christian  religion,  and 
to  this  end  to  commence  against  its  teachers  and  professors,  a 
persecution  more  general  and  sanguinary  than  any  preceding 
one.  "  It  lasted  ten  whole  years,  and  exceeded  all  the  preced- 
"  ing  in  its  indiscriminate  massacres  and  severities.  Such  mul- 
"  titudes  of  Christians,  suffered  death  in  all  the  provinces  of  the 
"  empire,  that  the  emperors  believed  that  they  had  accomplished 
"  their  purpose,  and  completely  extirpated  Christianity."  They 
"told  the  world  in  a  pompous  inscription,  that  they  had  extin- 
u  guished  the  Christian  name  and  superstition,  and  every  where 
"  restored  the  worship  of  the  god's  to  its  former  purity  and  lus- 
tre." Their  triumph  however  was  but  short — and  was  the  pre- 
cursor of  the  utter  ruin  of  paganism,  as  the  established  reli- 
gion. These  violent  means  which  the  government  employed 
to  extirpate  Christianity,  only  hastened  the  political  destruction 
of  paganism. 

For  the  noble  and  devoted  constancy  with  which  many  chris- 
tians endured  martyrdom,  excited  the  admiration  of  the  best 
portion  of  the  Grentile  world,  and  led  them  into  an  examination 
of  the  gospel,  which  was  followed  with  a  conviction  of  its  divine 
origin  and  authority.  And  to  the  patience  and  fidelity  with 
which  they  adhered  to  their  religion  at  the  sacrifice  of  their  pro- 
perty and  their  lives,  are  we  in  a  great  measure  indebted  that 
Christianity  survived  its  pagan  persecutions,  and  has  been  trans- 
mitted down  to  our  days,  and  it  is  for  this  reason  that  we  modern 
christians  honor  their  memory  and  regard  their  blood  as  the  seed 
of  the  Church.  This  period  of  Roman  history  has  been  com- 
monly termed  the  era  of  martyrs. 

But  we  are  now  in  the  sixth  seal,  approaching  a  terrible  cat- 
astrophe, which  befell  the  pagan  Roman  world. 

Chapter  6th,  12-17.  And  I  beheld  when  he  had  opened  the 
sixth  seal,  and  lo,  there  was  a  great  earthquake ;  and  the  sun 
became  black  as  sackcloth  of  hair,  and  the  moon  became  as 
blood.  And  the  stars  of  heaven  fell  unto  the  earth,  even  as  a 
fig-tree  casteth  her  untimely  figs,  when  she  is  shaken  of  a  mighty 

3* 


26 

wind.  And  the  heaven  departed  as  a  scroll  when  it  is  rolled 
together ;  and  every  mountain  and  island  were  moved  out  of 
their  places.  And  the  kings  of  the  earth,  and  the  great  men, 
and  the  rich  men,  and  the  chief  captains  and  the  mighty  men, 
and  every  hond  man,  and  every  free  man  hid  themselves  in  the 
dens,  and  in  the  rocks  of  the  mountains.  And  said  to  the 
mountains  and  rocks,  fall  on  us  and  hide  us  from  the  face  of 
him  that  sitteth  on  the  throne,  and  from  the  wrath  of  the  Lamb. 
For  the  great  day  of  his  wrath  is  come  ;  and  who  shall  be 
able  to  stand. 

In  the  scene  of  the  sixth  seal,  the  Apostle  witnesses  a  shak- 
ing or  concussion,  which  effects  the  heavens  as  well  as  the  earth. 
The  sun  becomes  perfectly  black,  and  the  moon  assumes  the 
color  of  blood — the  stars  are  seen  falling  from  heaven,  as  fruit 
from  a  shaken  tree,  and  the  whole  heaven  departs  out  of  sight. 
As  the  contents  of  a  manuscript  or  book  when  the  manuscript 
is  rolled  together,  or  the  book  shut  up.  The  pagan  heaven,  the 
pagan  sun,  moon  and  stars — the  pagan  lights  are  now  laid  aside 
as  we  lay  aside  a  manuscript,  or  book  after  we  have  read  it,  and 
have  no  further  present  use  for  it. 

The  old  lights  of  the  Roman  world — that  is  the  teachers  and 
philosophers,  and  priests,  and  rulers,  and  emperors  of  the  pagan 
school,  are  now  removed  from  their  high  places  of  influence,  and 
cease  to  rule  intellectually  and  morally  the  Roman  world. 

The  ruin  of  the  pagan  religion,  says  Gibbon,  is  described  by 
the  Sophists,  as  a  dreadful  and  an  amazing  prodigy,  which  covered 
the  earth  with  darkness  and  restored  the  ancient  dominion  of 
chaos  of  night. 

But  the  mountaius  and  islands  were  also  affected  by  this  con- 
cussion. 

Mountains  represent  the  population  of  Roman  communities, 
or  cities  of  eminence  and  power.  While  islands  correspond  to 
the  population  of  communities  or  cities  called  colonies,  and  lo- 
cated among  foreign  nations.  These  mountains  and  islands  do 
not  depart  away  as  do  the  heavens,  but  they  are  merely  removed 


27 

out  of  their  places,  and  this  removal  answers  to  those  changes 
introduced  among  the  subject  population  in  the  reign  of  Con- 
stantine,  by  a  new  division  and  arrangement  of  the  empire,  into 
prefectures,  and  dioceses,  and  provinces.  In  this  new  division 
and  arrangements,  the  different  portions  of  the  subject  popula- 
tion were  placed  in  positions  somewhat  different  from  those  in 
which  they  had  previously  stood  towards  each  other.  Rome 
for  instance  was  now  made  to  show  her  place  and  position  as 
the  capital  city  of  the  empire,  with  Constantinople,  and  thus 
both  cities  were  to  some  extent  removed  from  their  previous 
positions,  in  respect  to  political  rank  and  importance.  We  fur- 
ther learn  that  these  extraordinary  events  in  the  Roman  heaven 
and  earth,  are  witnessed  with  great  alarm  by  the  men  of  the 
earth — the  pagan  worshipers.  And  the  kings  of  the  earth,  and 
the  great  men,  and  the  rich  men,  and  the  chief  captains,  and 
the  mighty  men,  and  every  bond  man,  and  every  free  man — all 
the  priests  and  ministers  of  pagan  worship,  from  the  highest  to 
the  lowest,  hid  themselves  in  the  dens,  and  in  the  rocks  of  the 
mountains,  calling  upon  the  rocks  and  mountains  to  fall  upon 
them,  and  hide  them  from  the  face  of  him  that  sitteth  upon  the 
throne,  and  from  the  wrath  of  the  Lamb.  For  the  great  day  of 
his  wrath  is  come  and  who  shall  be  able  to  stand.  The  day  has 
come  for  Christianity  to  execute  retribution  upon  us,  and  to  treat 
us  as  we  treated  her,  and  now  we  ministers  of  the  pagan  wor- 
ship, in  the  practise  of  our  vocation  must  seek  places  of  con- 
cealment and  obscurity,  and  retire  into  the  country  and  villages 
among  the  ignorant  and  the  rustic. 

The  old  religion  after  it  had  become  an  illegal  religion  retired 
into  obscure  villages,  and  rural  districts,  where  it  was  less 
exposed  to  the  notice  of  government,  and  where  the  pagans  en- 
deavored to  elude  the  laws  against  them  by  disguising  their  re- 
ligions, under  the  appearance  of  convivial  meetings.  As  the 
population  of  the  rural  districts,  was  generally  ignorant  and 
consisted  for  the  most  part  of  slaves — the  old  religion  maintained 
its  ground  among  them  for  a  considerable  time. 


28 

The  original  word  from  which  pagan  is  derived  signified  at 
first  the  neighborhood,  who  frequented  the  same  fountain — after- 
wards it  came  to  be  synonymous  with  rustics — the  word  peasant 
is  a  corruption  of  the  word  pagan. 

As  Christianity  gradually  obtained  possession  of  the  cities,  the 
old  religion  retired  and  languished  in  rural  districts  and  insig- 
nificant villages,  and  hence  its  votaries  received  the  name  of 
pagans. 

The  period  of  history  unfolding  these  changes  was  that,  which 
intervened  between  Constantine  and  Theodoseus — and  compre- 
hended the  greatest  part  of  the  fourth  century. 

But  we  have  not  yet  finished  the  contents  of  the  sixth  seal ; 
another  event  occurs  under  this  seal,  and  during  this  period, 
namely,  a  great  falling  away  from  a  pure  Christian  worship. 

Kev.  vii.  1. — "  And  after  these  things,  I  saw  four  angels, 
standing  on  the  four  corners  of  the  earth,  holding  the  four 
winds  of  the  earth,  that  the  wind  should  not  blow  on  the  earth, 
nor  on  the  sea,  nor  on  any  tree." 

The  four  winds  of  the  earth  represent  those  nations  who  were 
disposed  to  war  and  violence,  and  who  were  restrained  by  the 
Roman  armies  from  devastating  the  empire. 

Diocletian,  convinced  that  the  abilities  of  a  single  man  was 
inadequate  to  the  public  defence,  associated  three  colleagues  in 
the  exercise  of  the  Supreme  power,  both  civil  and  military. 
He  discovered  that  the  empire,  assailed  on  every  side,  required 
on  every  side,  the  presence  of  a  great  army,  and  of  an  emperor. 
He  therefore  divided  the  empire  into  four  parts,  and  assigned 
to  each  part  an  emperor,  and  an  army  for  its  defence.  The 
strength  of  the  legions  was  thus  distributed  among  four  partners 
of  sovereignty.  Every  one  was  sovereign  within  his  own  juris- 
diction ;  but  their  united  authority  extended  over  the  whole 
monarchy,  and  each  one  of  them  was  prepared  to  assist  his  col- 
leagues with  his  counsel  and  his  presence. 

Though  the  division  of  the  imperial  power  among  four  sove- 
reigns did  not  long  survive  the  reign  of  Diocletian,  yet  the  same 


29 

numerical  division  of  the  frontiers  and  of  the  legions  was  con- 
tinued under  Constantine,  after  he  had  united  in  his  single 
person  the  whole  of  the  imperial  sovereignty. 

Instead  of  the  four  emperors,  the  defence  of  the  four  frontiers, 
was  under  Constantine  and  his  successors,  committed  to  four 
chief  commanders.  The  number  four,  which  is  applied  to  the 
angels  and  to  the  winds,  may  be  meant  to  correspond  to  these 
four  divisions  of  the  military  power,  created  for  the  purpose  of 
defending  the  empire  from  the  elements  of  violence,  on  or  within 
its  four  frontiers.  But  we  may  understand  the  word  four  in 
the  sense  of  universality,  and  then  the  four  angels  holding  the 
four  winds,  will  convey  the  idea  that  the  Roman  armies,  placed 
in  every  part  of  the  empire  for  its  defence,  were  to  continue  for 
some  time  longer  to  hold  in  check  the  power  of  the  barbarians, 
and  to  restrain  them  from  a  universal  outbreak  upon  the  empire. 

The  Roman  armies  kept  these  barbarians  under  restraint 
until  after  the  death  of  Theodosius. 

In  the  second  and  third  verses,  the  Apostle  relates  "  that  he 
saw  another  angel  ascending  from  the  East :  And  he  cried  with 
a  loud  voice  to  the  four  angels,  to  wbom  it  was  given  to  hurt 
the  earth  and  the  sea,  saying,  Hurt  not  the  earth,  nor  the  sea, 
neither  the  trees,  till  we  have  sealed  the  servants  of  God  in  their 
foreheads." 

This  symbolic  representation  is  of  a  similar  nature  and  import 
to  tbat  of  the  prophet  Ezekiel. 

At  a  time  when  the  inhabitants  of  Jerusalem  had,  with  some 
few  exceptions,  fallen  from  the  pure  worship  of  God  into  idolatrous 
practices,  the  prophet  Ezekiel,  ix.  1-6,  in  a  vision  sees  six  men, 
each  with  a  destroying  or  slaughter  weapon  in  his  hand,  and 
among  these  six  he  sees  a  seventh,  clothed  in  linen,  with  a 
writer's  ink-horn  by  his  side.  This  man  with  the  writer's  ink- 
horn  by  his  side,  is  divinely  commanded  to  go  through  the  city 
and  put  a  mark  upon  the  foreheads  of  the  few  faithful  wor- 
shippers that  sighed  and  lamented  for  all  the  idolatrous  abomi- 
nations that  were  done  in  the  midst  of  the  city.     While  the  six 


30 

men  with  the  slaughter  weapons  in  their  hands,  were  divinely 
commanded  to  go  after  him,  and  without  exception,  and  without 
pity,  smite  and  slay  all  who  had  not  the  mark  upon  their  fore- 
heads. All  this  was  intended  to  intimate  that  a  small  remnant 
of  faithful  servants  and  worshippers  of  God,  would  be  preserved 
through  the  predicted  calamity  which  was  about  to  befal  Jeru- 
salem, for  the  unlawful  and  idolatrous  worship  to  which  the 
great  majority  of  her  people  were  addicted.  So  also  the  sym- 
bolic representation  of  St.  John,  foretells  that  Roman  Christians, 
with  the  exception  of  a  small  remnant  or  minority,  would  fall 
away  from  a  pure  Christian  worship  into  idolatrous  practices, 
before  that  universal  and  terrible  irruption  of  the  Barbarians, 
which  occurred  upon  the  death  of  Theodosius  at  the  end  of  the 
fourth  century.  It  foretells  that  this  remnant  of  religious  wor- 
shippers should  survive  the  calamitous  period  that  followed  this 
terrible  irruption,  and  that  they  should  be  known  and  distin- 
guished by  the  public  profession  and  practice  of  a  pure  worship, 
free  from  idolatrous  innovations. 

As  in  the  days  of  Elijah,  when  nearly  the  whole  of  the  ten 
tribes  of  Israel  had  become  idolaters,  God  reserved  for  himself 
a  remnant  of  seven  thousand  men  who  had  not  bowed  the  knee 
to  the  image  of  Baal.  So  during  this  period  of  the  general 
falling  away  of  Roman  Christians  into  idolatrous  practices, 
God  reserved  a  remnant  or  minority  of  faithful  servants  to  per- 
petuate a  pure  Christian  worship.  They  would,  however,  be  but 
a  small  remnant  or  minority.  The  apostacy  is  here  to  be  un- 
derstood in  its  individual  (not  corporate)  character.  Verse  4. 
"  And  I  heard  the  number  of  them  that  were  sealed.  And 
there  were  sealed  an  hundred  and  forty-four  thousand,  of  all  the 
tribes  of  the  children  of  Israel — twelve  thousand  of  every  tribe — 
there  being  twelve  tribes." 

As  the  nation  of  Israel  numbered  about  five  millions,  an  hun- 
dred and  forty-four  thousand  was  a  small  minority. 

The  different  tribes  of  Israel  represent  the  different  Roman 
Churches  or  Christian  communities,  and  the  persons  sealed  on 


31 

their  foreheads  represent  the  comparatively  few  individuals  who 
should  escape  the  prevailing  idolatrous  example,  and  adhere  to 
the  profession  and  practice  of  a  pure  Christian  worship. 

This  numerous  falling  away  of  Roman  Christians  into  idola- 
trous practices,  occupies  the  period  between  Constantine  and 
Theodosius,  and  was  developed  before  the  barbarians  at  the  end 
of  the  fourth  century,  began  on  every  side  to  break  loose  upon 
the  empire.     The  ancient  Christians  (Waddington,  Chap.  8.,) 
continued  to  shun  with  a  pious  horror,  which  persecution  exas- 
perated, and  which  time  did  not  mitigate,  every  approach  to 
paganism  and  idolatry.     "  So  definite  and  so  broad  was  the 
'  space  which  on  this  point  at  least  separated  the  two  religions, 
'  that  it  seemed  impossible  that  either  of  them  should  overstep 
'it,  or  that  any  compromise  could  ever  be  effected  between 
'  principles  so  fundamentally  hostile.     Yet  the  contrary  result 
'  took  place ;  and  a  reconciliation,  which,  in  the  beginning  of 
'  the  fourth  century,  could  not  easily  have  been  imagined,  was 

'  virtually  accomplished  before  its  termination We 

'  blush  when  we  discover  the  most  distinguished  writers  of  the 
'  fourth  century,  Athanasius,  Eusebius,  the  historian,  Gregory, 
'  Nazianzen,  Chrysostom,  Jerome,  and  Augustin,  engaged  in 
'  shameful  conspiracy  against  their  religion,  while  they  exag- 
'  gerate  the  merit  of  the  martyrs,  assert  or  insinuate  their  im- 
'  mediate  sanctification,  and  claim  for  them,  a  sort  of  reverence, 
'  which  could  not  easily  be  distinguished  from  worship.  In 
'  this  age,  and  from  this  cause  arose  the  stupid  veneration  for 
( bones  and  relics ;  it  was  inculcated  and  believed,  that  prayer 
'  was  never  so  surely  efficacious,  as  when  offered  at  the  tomb  of 
'  some  saint  or  some  holy  person — the  number  of  such  tombs 
'  was  then  multiplied ;  at  all  of  them,  miracles  and  prophecies, 
'  and  prodigies,  and  visions  were  exhibited  and  recorded  ;  and 
'  the  Spirit  of  the  Grospel  was  forgotten  in  the  practice  of  for- 
'  bidden  ceremonies,  and  the  belief  of  impious  fables.  Such 
*  were  the  unworthy  advances  which  were  made  by  (Roman) 
f  Christianity,  and  encouraged  by  her  leading  ministers,  with 


32 

"  the  view  to  reconcile  at  least  her  external  differences  with 
"  paganism,  and  no  doubt,  they  were  very  effectual  in  alluring 
"  those  easy  polytheists,  whose  piety  was  satisfied  with  nume- 
"  rous  festivals  in  celebration  of  the  exploits  of  mortals  deified  ; 
"  for  with  them,  the  change  was  only  in  the  name  of  the  deity, 
"  not  in  the  principles  of  the  religion.  And  by  this  shameful 
"  compromise,  the  Church  was  filled  by  numerous  converts,  who 
"  believed,  and  who  were  probably  taught  to  believe,  that  the 
"  worship  which  they  had  deserted,  was  by  no  means  essentially 
"  dissimilar  from  that  which  they  had  embraced,  and  who  con- 
a  tinued  after  their  admission,  to  perpetuate  and  exaggerate 
"those   corruptions,   by   which    alone,    the   resemblance   was 

"created The  immediate  object  of  these  concessions 

"  to  the  genius  of  paganism,  was  accomplished — to  diminish  the 
"  numerical  display  of  polytheism,  and  prematurely  to  crowd 
"  the  Churches  and  processions  with  nominal  Christians.  But 
"  the  lasting  result  has  been  to  darken,  and  disfigure  the  features 
"  of  Christianity,  not  in  one  race  only,  or  for  one  age,  but 
"  through  a  period  of  which  fourteen  centuries  have  already 
"  been  accomplished,  and  of  which  we  cannot  yet  foresee  the 
"  termination."  .  * 

It  must  be  observed,  that  the  pagans  on  their  side,  made  the 
concession  of  sacrifice,  or  at  least  of  immolation,  which  was  the 
centre  of  their  whole  system.  They  were  indulged  with  a  sort 
of  polytheism  of  saints  and  martyrs  ;  and  even  sensible  objects 
of  worship  were  not  withheld  from  them.  But  these  beings 
were  to  be  approached  only  with  prayer  and  supplication  ;  and 
if  it  were  presently  found  expedient  to  permit  offerings  to  be 
made  to  them,  their  shrines  were  never  contaminated  by  the 
blood  of  victims.  Gibbon,  Chap.  28,  writes,  if  in  the  begin- 
ning of  the  fifth  century,  Tertullian  or  Lactantius  had  been  sud- 
denly raised  from  the  dead,  to  assist  at  the  festival  of  some 
popular  saint  or  martyr,  they  would  have  gazed  with  astonish- 
ment and  indignation  on  the  profane  spectacle  which  had  suc- 
ceeded to  the  pure  and  spiritual  worship  of  a  Christian  congre- 


33 

gation.  It  must  ingenuously  be  confessed  that  the  ministers  of 
the  Catholic  Church  "  imitated  the  profane  model  which  they 
'were  impatient  to  destroy.  The  most  respectable  bishops 
'  persuaded  themselves,  that  the  ignorant  rustics  would  more 
1  cheerfully  renounce  the  superstitions  of  paganism,  if  they 
'  found  some  resemblance,  some  compensation,  in  the  bosom  of 
'  Christianity.  The  religion  of  Constantine,  achieved  in  less 
'  than  a  century,  the  final  concpiest  of  the  Roman  empire ;  but 
'  the  victors  themselves  were  insensibly  subdued  by  the  arts  of 
1  their  vanquished  rivals.  .  .  .  The  sublime  and  simple  theology 
(  of  the  primitive  Christians,  was  gradually  corrupted,  and  the 
'  monarchy  of  heaven,  (already  clouded  by  metaphysical  subtle- 
'  ties,)  was  degraded  by  the  introduction  of  a  popular  mythology, 
'  which  tended  to  restore  the  reign  of  polytheism.  In  the  long 
'  period  of  twelve  hundred  years,  which  elapsed  between  the 
c  reign  of  Constantine  and  the  Reformation  of  Luther,  the  wor- 
'  ship  of  saints  and  relicts  corrupted  the  pure  and  perfect  sim- 
'  plicity  of  the  Christian  model/' 

This  numerous  departure  from  the  Christian  faith  into  the 
demon  or  mediator-worship  of  the  pagan  Greeks  and  Romans, 
is  mentioned  by  St.  Paul  as  a  subject  of  distinct  prediction. 
The  spirit  of  inspiration  had  made  known  to  him  and  the 
Christians  of  his  day,  that  in  the  course  of  the  Christian  dis- 
pensation, certain  of  its  professors  would,  through  the  dissimula- 
tion and  falsehood  of  monks,  be  seduced  into  those  errors  which 
then  prevailed  among  the  Greeks  and  Romans,  concerning  the 
offices  of  demons  or  mediators,  and  the  honour  and  worship  to 
be  rendered  to  them. 

Notwithstanding,  however,  this  numerous  apostacy  which 
commenced  at  so  early  a  date,  there  have  been,  in  every  age 
since,  Christians  who  have  returned  and  practised  a  worship, 
free  from  these  idolatrous  innovations.  Yet  these  have  hitherto, 
and  do  now,  constitute  but  a  small  minority  in  comparison  with 
the  two  hundred  millions  of  Greek  and  Latin  Christians,  who 
have  departed  from  the  simplicity  of  Christian  worship,  to  invo- 
4 


34 

cate  the  mediation  and  intercession  of  departed  saints,  as  their 
ancient  fathers  did  the  pagan  demons  and  heroes. 

Verses  9-17. — "  After  this,  I  beheld,  and  lo  a  great  multi- 
tude which  no  man  could  number,  of  all  nations,  and  kindreds, 
and  people,  and  tongues,  stood  before  the  throne  and  before  the 
Lamb,  clothed  with  white  robes,  and  palms  in  their  hands, 
And  cried  with  a  loud  voice,  saying,  Salvation  to  our  God  which 
sitteth  upon  the  throne,  and  unto  the  Lamb.  And  all  the 
angels  stood  round  about  the  throne,  and  about  the  elders  and 
the  four  beasts,  and  fell  before  the  throne  on  their  faces  and 
worshipped  God,  saying  Amen,  blessing,  and  glory,  and  wisdom, 
and  thanksgiving,  and  honour,  and  power,  and  might,  be 
unto  our  God  for  ever  and  ever,  Amen.  And  one  of  the  elders 
answered,  saying  unto  me,  What  are  those  which  are  arranged 
in  white  robes  ?  And  whence  came  they  ?  And  I  said  unto 
him,  Sir,  thou  knowest.  And  he  said  to  me,  These  are  they 
which  came  out  of  great  tribulation,  and  have  washed  their 
robes,  and  made  them  white  in  the  blood  of  the  Lamb,  There- 
fore are  they  before  the  throne  of  God,  and  serve  him  day  and 
night  in  his  temple ;  and  he  that  sitteth  on  the  throne  shall 
dwell  among  them.  They  shall  hunger  no  more,  neither  thirst 
any  more :  neither  shall  the  sun  light  on  them,  nor  any  heat. 
For  the  Lamb  which  is  in  the  midst  of  the  throne,  shall  feed 
them,  and  lead  them  unto  living  fountains  of  waters  :  and  God 
shall  wipe  away  all  tears  from  their  eyes. 

This,  besides  the  one  hundred  and  forty-four  thousand  Israel- 
ites reserved  for  idolatry,  the  Apostle  sees  a  great  multitude  of 
a  similar  character  gathered  from  different  nations. 

The  great  multitude  which  could  not  be  numbered  as  the  one 
hundred  and  forty-four  thousand  had  been,  consisted  of  those, 
who,  in  countries  and  communities  professedly  heathen,  would 
be  found  adhering  to  a  pure  Christian  worship.  Though  these 
pure  worshippers  of  God  in  the  communities  where  they  prac- 
ticed their  religion,  might  constitute  but  a  small  minority,  yet 
in  the  course  of  successive  ages,  these  small  minorities  of  the  dif- 


25 

fercnt  generations  and  different  countries,  if  gathered  together, 
would  constitute  an  innumerable  multitude. 

They  are  clothed  with  white  robes — made  white  in  the  bloo^ 
of  the  Lamb ;  they  have  had  recourse  to  the  atonement  of  Christ, 
and  so  applied  its  merit  to  themselves,  as  to  appear  before  God 
with  their  sins  forgiven  or  washed  away.  They  have  palms  in 
their  hands — to  signify  that  they  had  attained  unto  salvation  and 
victory,  after  a  severe  contest  and  great  tribulation,  and  hence 
do  they  cry  with  a  loud  voice,  saying,  salvation  to  our  God  which 
sitteth  upon  the  throne,  and  unto  the  Lamb.  They  are  also 
represented  as  admitted  to  a  high  state  of  favour  and  happiness 
with  God  and  Christ  in  the  celestial  temple,  and  this  is  no 
doubt  intended  to  encourage  unto  perseverance,  all  who  may  be 
called  upon  to  suffer  for  the  profession  and  practice  of  a  pure 
Christianity  in  the  midst  of  idolatry  and  infidelity. 

This  great  falling  away  of  Christians  of  the  Roman  empire, 
occurred  in  the  fourth  century,  and  in  the  next  century  all  the 
elements  of  violence  and  licentiousness  were  let  loose,  and  the 
empire  was  visited  with  a  series  of  great  calamities,  among 
which,  was  the  extinction  of  the  imperial  office  and  authority 
in  Italy  and  the  west.  These  calamities  are  the  subjects  of 
prediction,  and  of  symbolical  representations  in  the  next 
chapter. 


36 

DISCOURSE   III. 

Kev.  viii.  1-6. 

"  And  when  he  had  opened  the  seventh  seal,  there  was  silence  in 
heaven  about  the  space  of  half  an  hour.  And  I  saw  the  seven  angels 
which  stood  before  God  :  and  to  them  were  given  seven  trumpets.  And 
another  angel  came  and  stood  at  the  altar,  having  a  golden  censer;  and 
there  was  given  unto  him  much  incense,  that  he  should  offer  it  with  the 
prayers  of  all  saints  upon  the  golden  altar  which  was  before  the  throne. 
And  the  smoke  of  the  incense,  which  came  with  the  prayers  of  the 
saints,  ascended  up  before  God  out  of  the  angel's  hand.  And  the  angel 
took  the  censer,  and  filled  it  with  fire  of  the  altar,  and  cast  it  into  the 
earth  :  and  there  were  voices,  and  thunderings,  and  lightnings,  and  an 
earthquake.  And  the  seven  angels  which  had  the  seven  trumpets  pre- 
pared themselves  to  sound. 

We  learn  under  the  sixth  seal,  that  the  elements  of  violence, 
and  devastation,  comprehending  various  nations  of  Barbarians, 
were  on  the  eve  of  being  let  loose  from  their  restraint,  and  that 
a  period  of  judgment  and  calamity  was  about  to  come  upon  the 
empire.  This  period  of  judgment  and  calamity  begins  under  the 
seventh  seal.  And  this  fact  is  strikingly  signified  by  the  scenes 
which  take  place  in  the  court  of  heaven,  immediately  upon  the 
opening  of  this  seal. 

In  the  temple  worship  at  Jerusalem,  the  high  priest  on  the 
great  day  of  expiation  took  fire  from  the  altar  of  burnt  offering 
in  a  golden  censer,  and  after  taking  incense  from  one  of  the 
priests,  he  proceeded  to  the  golden  altar,  and  there  burnt  it ; 
the  smoke  and  odour  being  wafted  into  the  most  holy  place,  to 
the  presence  of  God,  who  dwelt  between  the  cherubims,  above 
the  mercy  seat.  But  while  the  high  priest  was  offering  this 
incense  on  the  golden  altar,  the  people  or  congregation  outside, 
were  engaged  in  silent  prayer.  This  was  the  acceptable  time 
for  God  to  hear,  and  the  people  to  offer  their  petitions  to  avert 
his  wrath  and  secure  mercy.  In  the  ideal  temple  exhibited  to 
St.  John,  the  period  of  silence  and  petition  being  ended,  the 
angel  takes  the  censer  in  which  he  had  burnt  incense,  and  casts 


37 

it  on  the  ground,  and  then  follow  voices,  and  thunderings,  and 
lightnings,  and  a  shaking. 

The  casting  of  the  censer  upon  the  ground,  as  if  of  no  further 
use,  signified  that  no  prayer  to  avert  the  divine  judgments  upon 
the  Roman  world,  would  now  be  heard  and  regarded — that  the 
period  of  entreaty  to  avert  his  wrath  had  gone  by,  and  that 
heaven  would  no  longer  keep  silence  to  listen  to  prayer  for  this 
object.  So  also  the  indications  of  wrath,  the  voices,  and  the 
thunderings,  and  the  lightnings,  and  shaking,  which  followed 
the  period  of  silence,  confirm  the  same  idea,  that  heaven  was 
now  in  a  determination  or  purpose  of  mind  to  inflict  judgment, 
and  not  in  a  disposition  of  mind  to  hear  prayer  and  show  mercy. 

It  had  been  foretold  by  St.  Paul,  (2  Thess.,  Chap,  ii.,)  that 
during  the  period  of  the  falling  away  of  Christians,  there  would 
appear  in  the  temple  or  Church,  a  ruler  without  law — that  he 
would  set  himself  in  opposition  to,  and  exalt  himself  above  all 
human  dignities — that  he  would  not  appear,  however,  until  a 
certain  power  hindering  his  full  developments,  should  be  put 
out  of  the  way.  Though  the  Apostle  does  not  name,  in  writing 
in  this  epistle,  who  this  hinderer  was,  yet  he  informs  us,  that  he 
had  named  him  to  the  Thessalonians  by  word  of  mouth,  and 
that  they  knew  very  well  what  he  meant. 

The  early  fathers,  who  had  it  from  tradition,  inform  us  that 
the  hinderer  was  declared  by  the  Apostle  to  be  the  Roman 
emperor  or  empire,  and  that  he  made  this  declaration  by  word 
of  mouth,  and  did  not  commit  it  to  writing,  lest  he  should 
expose  himself  and  his  religion  to  the  prejudices  of  the  govern- 
ment, by  foretelling  its  removal  out  of  the  way,  to  give  place  to 
some  rising  power  in  the  Christian  Church. 

And  here  we  find  the  reason  why  the  primitive  Christians 

made  the  continuance  of  the  Roman  empire  a  subject  of  their 

prayers.     They  believed  that  its  continuance  was  hindering  and 

delaying  the  appearance  and  development  of  some  haughty  and 

tyrannical  ruler  in  the  Christian  Church.     They  termed  this 

ruler,  Antichrist,  and  they  expected   him  to  equal  Nero  in 

4* 


38 

tyranny  and  oppression,  and  hence  it  was  a  common  saying 
among  them,  that  Nero  was  not  dead,  but  that  he  had  retired 
beyond  the  Euphrates,  and  would  return  as  Antichrist.  Heaven 
being  now  determined  beyond  the  reach  of  entreaty  to  execute 
wrath  and  judgment  upon  the  Roman  world,  the  seven  angels 
which  had  the  seven  trumpets  prepared  themselves  to  sound. 

Verse  7.  "  The  first  angel  sounded,  and  there  followed  hail 
and  fire  mingled  with  blood,  and  they  were  cast  upon  the  earth  : 
and  the  third  part  of  trees  was  burnt  up,  and  all  green  grass 
was  burnt  up." 

In  the  language  of  figures,  of  fierce  winds,  stands  for  hostile 
devastating  armies,  storms  stand  for  war  and  violence.  The 
casting  upon  the  earth  of  hail  and  fire  mingled  with  blood,  fol- 
lowed with  the  burning  up  of  the  third  part  of  the  trees,  and  of 
all  green  grass,  gives  us  to  understand,  that  the  winds  of  deso- 
lation were  now  to  be  loosed  from  restraint ;  that  fierce  and 
hostile  armies  are  now  to  break  forth  upon  the  empire  in  a  tem- 
pest of  desolating  war,  and  bring  ruin  upon  the  most  flourishing 
part  of  the  Roman  population,  including  families  and  persons 
of  rank  and  wealth. 

"  The  threatening  tempests  of  Barbarians,  which  was  repelled 
"  or  suspended  on  the  frontiers  was  now  let  loose  to  subvert  the 
"  foundations  of  Roman  greatness."  "  In  the  disastrous  period 
"  of  the  fall  of  the  Roman  empire,  which  may  be  justly  dated 
"from  the  reign  of  Valens,  (A.  D.  376,)  the  happiness  and 
"  security  of  each  individual  were  personally  attacked,  and  the 
"  arts  and  labours  of  ages  were  rudely  defaced  by  the  Barbarians 
"  of  Scythia  and  Germany.  The  invasion  of  the  Huns,  precipi- 
"  tated  on  the  provinces  of  the  "West,  the  Gothic  nation  which 
"  advanced  in  less  than  forty  years  from  the  Danube  to  the 
"  Atlantic,  and  opened  a  way  by  the  success  of  their  arms,  to 
"  the  inroads  of  so  many  hostile  tribes,  more  savage  than  them- 
"  selves.  The  original  principle  of  motion  was  concealed  in  the 
"  remote  countries  of  the  North,  and  the  curious  observation  of 


39 

H  the  pastoral  life  of  the  Scythians  or  Tartars,  will  illustrate  the 
"  latent  cause  of  these  destructive  emigrations." — (Gibbon.) 

After  the  reign  of  Theodosius,  who  died  in  the  year  395,  the 
Barbarians  found  no  adequate  power  in  the  empire,  to  restrain 
them  from  invasion  and  conquest.  Accordingly,  after  his  death 
they  began  to  invade  and  ravage  the  empire  on  all  sides,  making 
conquests  and  settlements  from  which  the  Romans  could  not 
expel  them.  In  the  beginning  of  the  fifth  century,  both  the 
Germans  and  the  Goths  broke  loose  from  their  confinement,  and 
precipitated  themselves  upon  the  empire.  While  Greece  was 
invaded  and  ravaged  by  the  Goths,  a  furious  tempest  was  excited 
among  the  Germans,  and  "a  dark  cloud  which  was  collected 
u  along  the  coast  of  the  Baltic,  burst  in  thunder  upon  the  banks 
"  of  the  upper  Danube,  and  poured  its  contents  upon  Italy  and 
Rome." — (Gibbon.) 

Italy,  Greece,  Gaul,  Spain,  and  even  Africa,  were  in  the  first 
part  of  the  fifth  century,  ravaged  by  different  tribes  of  barbarians, 
who  waged  war  with  great  fierceness — paying  but  little  respect 
to  age,  sex,  or  condition — plundering  the  unresisting  country, 
and  wasting  and  destroying  the  fruits  of  the  earth.  The  calam- 
ities inflicted  upon  the  empire  by  this  terrible  irruption  of  the 
barbarians,  fell  with  destructive  force  upon  many  persons  and 
families  of  wealth,  but  especially  upon  the  thrifty  and  agricul- 
tural part  of  the  Roman  population.  The  evils  which  they 
inflicted  upon  this  part  of  the  population,  resembled  indeed,  the 
ruin  inflicted  on  trees  and  grass  by  a  violent  tempest,  discharging 
itself  in  hail  and  fire,  mingled  with  blood. 

Verses  8,  9.  "  And  the  second  angel  sounded,  and  as  it  were, 
a  great  mountain  burning  with  fire  was  cast  into  the  sea  :  and 
the  third  part  of  the  sea  became  blood ;  And  the  third  part  of 
the  creatures  which  were  in  the  sea,  and  had  life,  died ;  and  the 
third  part  of  the  ships  were  destroyed." 

The  great  mountain  must  signify  some  portion  of  the  Roman 
population  hitherto  eminently  great  and  secure.  Such  as  the 
population  of  the  city  of  Rome. 


40 

"  Behold,"  says  God,  by  the  prophet  Jeremiah,  li.  25, 
speaking  of  Babylon,  "  I  am  against  thee,  0  destroying  moun- 
tain, which  destroyest  all  the  earth  :  and  I  will  stretch  out 
mine  hand  upon  thee,  and  roll  thee  from  the  rocks,  and 
will  make  thee  a  burnt  mountain." 

The  people  of  Babylon  were  about  to  fall  from  their  conspicuous 
and  secure  condition — and  their  fall,  as  we  learn  in  the  subse- 
quent part  of  the  chapter,  was  to  be  effected  by  the  hostile 
invasions  of  the  surrounding  nations.  And  such  was  the  fate 
of  the  people  of  the  Roman  city  in  the  fifth  century.  The  city 
was  repeatedly  besieged,  taken  and  sacked  by  foreign  armies, 
and  the  emperors  consulting  their  safety  were  obliged  to  remove 
their  residence  from  Rome,  to  the  more  secure  city  of  Ravenna. 
"  The  loss  or  desolation  of  the  provinces  from  the  ocean  to  the 
"  Alps  impaired  the  glory  and  greatness  of  Rome,  while  her 
"  internal  prosperity  was  irretrievably  destroyed  by  the  loss 
"  of  Africa,  which  contained  the  patrimonial  estates  of  her 
"  Senators,  and  filled  her  granaries  with  regular  subsidies  of 
"corn."  (Gibbon.)  Her  population  from  the  heights  of 
greatness  and  security  which  they  once  possessed  in  the  Roman 
world,  are  now  found  sunken,  and  merged  in  the  common  mass 
of  provincial  cities  and  subjects,  like  a  great  mountain  sunken 
and  merged  in  the  sea.  "When  the  city  of  Rome  was  first 
sacked  by  the  Goths,  under  Alaric,  it  was  regarded  by  the 
whole  empire  as  a  grievous  and  terrible  calamity.  This  awful' 
catastrophe  of  Rome,  (says  Gibbon,)  filled  the  astonished  empire 
with  grief  and  terror ;  so  interesting  a  contrast  of  greatness  and 
ruin,  disposed  the  fond  credulity  of  the  people  to  deplore,  and 
even  to  exaggerate  the  afflictions  of  the  queen  of  cities.  The 
clergy  who  applied  to  recent  events,  the  lofty  metaphors  of 
oriental  prophecy,  were  sometimes  tempted  to  confound  the 
destruction  of  the  capitol  with  the  desolation  of  the  globe. 
This  fall  of  Rome  from  her  state  of  greatness  and  security,  was 
attended  with  other  disasters.  And  the  third  part  of  the  sea 
became  blood,  and  the  third  part  of  the  creatures  which  were  in 


41 

the  sea,  and  had  life,  died ;  and  the  third  part  of  the  ships  were 
destroyed.  If  the  land  stands  for  nations  and  communities  of 
the  Latin  language,  and  of  the  first  rank,  and  the  rivers  and 
fountains,  for  nations  and  communities  in  the  empire,  of  a 
foreign  language,  and  of  the  second  rank,  then  the  sea  will 
represent  the  common  mass  of  provincial  Romans.  The  blood 
into  which  the  sea  was  converted,  must  correspond  to  some 
inimical  sentiment  with  which  this  class  of  the  population  had 
become  imbued  ;  while  the  mortality  in  the  sea,  and  the  destruc- 
tion of  the  ships,  may  correspond  to  the  extinction  of  public 
spirit  and  the  loss  of  revenue. 

Accordingly,  we  find  that  at  this  time,  the  population  in  the 
desolate  provinces,  had  become  so  disaffected  to  government,  and 
so  averse  to  the  payment  of  taxes,  that  the  magistracy,  who 
were  responsible  for  the  taxes,  were  retained  in  their  office,  only 
by  compulsory  laws,  while  the  populace  preferred,  to  the  slavery 
of  taxation  at  home,  poverty  and  freedom  among  the  barbarians. 

In  the  year  418,  the  Emperor  Honorius,  issued  an  edict,  for 
the  purpose  of  convening  an  annual  assembly  to  represent  seven 
provinces  in  Gaul,  but  such  was  the  unfavourable  state  of  feeling 
towards  the  Roman  government — such  the  decay  of  all  public 
or  corporate  spirit,  that  the  Emperor  was  surprised  to  discover, 
that  he  must  resort  to  compulsion,  if  he  would  secure  the  attend- 
ance of  representatives,  who  seemed  to  regard  the  imperial  edict 
as  the  last  and  most  cruel  insult  of  their  oppressors.  The  same 
decay  of  corporate  spirit  in  the  provinces,  appears  from  one  of 
the  regulations  of  the  Emperor  Majorian,  A.  D.  457,  wherein 
he  remarks,  "  the  municipal  corporations,  the  lesser  senates,  (so 
antiquity  has  justly  styled  them,)  deserve  to  be  considered  as 
the  heart  of  the  cities,  and  the  sinews  of  the  republic.  And 
yet,  so  low  are  they  now,  reduced  by  the  injustice  of  magis- 
trates and  venality  of  collectors,  that  many  of  their  members, 
renouncing  their  dignity  and  their  country,  have  taken  refuge 
in  distant  and  obscure  exile 

Michelet  thus  writes  of  the  endeavours  of  Honorius  to  revive 


42 

Roman  public  spirit  in  Gaul ;  "all  was  in  vain,  there  was  no 
"  arousing  a  people  grown  torpid  under  the  weight  of  their  ills. 
"  They  had  fixed  their  views  elsewhere ;  and  cared  not  for  an 
"  emperor,  as  powerless  for  good  as  for  evil.  They  desired  but 
"  death,  or  at  least  social  death  and  the  invasion  of  the  bar- 
"  barians.  They  call  for  the  enemy,  say  the  authors  of  the 
"  time,  and  long  for  captivity.  Our  countrymen  who  happen 
"  to  be  among  the  barbarians,  so  far  from  wishing  to  return, 
"would  rather  have  us  to  join  them.  The  wonder  is,  that  all 
"  the  poor  do  not  the  same.  They  are  only  hindered  by  the 
"  impossibility  of  carrying  their  little  huts  with  them."  "  De- 
fection took  possession  of  men's  souls  ;  a  deadly  inertia  seized 
"  the  whole  social  body.  The  people  lay  down  on  the  ground 
"in  weariness  and  despair,  as  the  beast  of  burden  lies  down 

"  under  blows,  and  refuses  to  rise We  have  the  spec- 

"  tacle  of  a  whole  people  in  mental  agony." 

Valentian  the  third,  closed  his  reign  in  the  year  455,  two 
years  before  the  accession  of  Majorian. 

In  the  conclusion  of  the  chapter  which  narrates  the  reign  of 
Valentian,  Gibbon  notices  how  strongly  the  minds  of  the  pro- 
vincial population  were  disaffected  to  the  government.  As  early 
(Gibbon,  Chap.  35,)  as  the  times  of  Cicero  and  Verro,  it  was 
the  opinion  of  the  Roman  Augurs,  that  the  twelve  vultures, 
which  Romulus  had  seen,  represented  the  twelve  centuries 
assigned  for  the  fatal  period  of  his  city.  This  prophecy  disre- 
garded in  the  season  of  health  and  prosperty,  inspired  the  people 
with  gloomy  apprehensions  when  the  twelfth  century,  clouded 
with  disgrace  and  misfortune,  was  almost  elapsed ;  and  even 
posterity  must  acknowledge,  with  some  surprise,  that  the  arbi- 
trary interpretation  of  an  accidental  or  fabulous  circumstance, 
has  been  seriously  verified  in  the  downfal  of  the  western  empi*c. 
But  its  fall  was  announced  by  a  clearer  omen  than  the  flight  of 
vultures.  The  Roman  government  appeared  every  day  less 
formidable  to  its  enemies,  more  odious  and  oppressive  to  its 
subjects.     The  taxes  were  multiplied  with  the  public  distress ; 


43 

economy  was  neglected  in  proportion  as  it  became  necessary, 
and  the  injustice  of  the  rich,  shifted  the  unequal  burden  from 
themselves  to  the  people,  -whom  they  defrauded  of  the  indul- 
gences that  might  sometimes  have  alleviated  their  miseries. 
The  severe  inquisition  -which  confiscated  their  goods,  and  tor- 
tured their  persons,  compelled  the  subjects  of  Valentinian,  to 
prefer  the  more  simple  tyranny  of  the  barbarians,  to  fly  to 
the  woods  and  mountains,  or  to  embrace  the  vile  and  abject  con- 
dition of  mercenary  servants.  They  abjured  and  abhorred  the 
name  of  Roman  citizens,  which  had  formerly  excited  the  ambi- 
tion of  mankind.  Roman  noble  spirits  became  extinct  in  a 
great  part  of  the  provincial  population,  when  it  was  found  that 
great  Rome  had  sunk  into  helplessness,  and  could  no  longer 
protect  them  or  herself. 

Verses  10  and  11.  "  And  the  third  angel  sounded,  and  there 
fell  a  great  star  from  heaven,  burning  as  it  were  a  lamp,  and  it 
fell  upon  the  third  part  of  the  rivers,  and  upon  the  fountains  of 
waters ;  and  the  name  of  the  star  is  called  Wormwood ;  and 
the  third  part  of  the  waters  became  wormwood ;  and  many  men 
died  of  the  waters,  because  they  were  made  bitter." 

A  star  is  the  symbol  of  an  eminent  teacher,  and  may  also 
stand  for  the  particular  doctrine  or  philosophy  which  he  teaches. 
The  star  he  mentioned  may  mean  Arius  or  Arianism.  Arius 
was  regarded  by  many  as  a  burning  and  shining  light — and  his 
doctrine  was  received  by  many  who  were  distinguished  as  much 
by  the  superiority  of  their  learning  and  genius,  as  by  the  emi- 
nence of  their  rank  and  station.  Under  the  Emperors  Con- 
stantius  and  Valens,  Arianism  enjoyed  a  high  position  in  the 
Roman  world,  and  constituted  a  part  of  the  established  religion ; 
but  in  the  reign  of  Theodosius  it  fell  from  its  high  position, 
being  made  an  object  of  imperial  persecution,  so  that  at  the  end 
of  the  fourth  century,  the  proselytes  of  Arianism  formed  an 
inconsiderable  and  a  declining  party  in  the  empire.  It  had 
fallen  from  heaven.  "  But  suddenly  it  received  a  new  and  ex- 
"  traordinary  impulse  from  an  unexpected  quarter.     The  Arians 


44 

"  oppressed  and  persecuted  by  the  imperial  edicts,  took  refuge 
"  among  those  fierce  and  savage  natives  who  were  gradually 
"  overturning  the  western  empire,  and  found  among  the  Goths, 
"Suevi,  Heruli,  Vandals,  and  Burgundians,  a  fixed  residence, 
"and  peaceful  retreat;  and  as  their  security  animated  their 
"courage,  they  treated  the  Catholics  with  the  same  violence, 
"  which  the  latter  had  employed  against  them  and  other  heretics, 
"  and  harassed  and  persecuted  in  various  ways,  such  as  professed 
"  their  adherence  to  the  Nicene  doctrines." — Mosheim,  Chap, 
v.  4,  second  part  of  the  fifth  century. 

The  persecution  of  Arianism  by  Theodosius  scattered  its 
disciples  among  distant  and  populous  nations,  and  diffused  to 
the  same  extent  the  knowledge  of  his  doctrine,  and  multiplied 
the  number  of  its  professors. 

Rivers  and  fountains  of  water  correspond  to  nations  or  com- 
munities of  a  foreign  language  and  literature,  ranking  next  to 
the  Latins  or  Romans. 

The  great  burning  star  fell  from  heaven  upon  the  third  part 
of  the  rivers,  and  upon  the  fountains  of  water,  when  Arianism 
cast  down  from  the  high  position  which  it  once  held  in  the 
empire,  lit  upon  the  Goths  and  other  nations,  and  tinctured 
their  literature  with  a  better  ingredient.  These  nations  being 
now  settled  in  the  empire,  and  brought  under  the  influence  of 
civilization  and  Christianity,  were  no  longer  destructive  winds, 
but  rivers  and  fountains  of  water.  Some  of  them  had  been 
converted  in  their  native  forests,  and  others  by  being  brought 
into  contact  with  the  vanquished  Romans;  but  it  so  happened 
that  the  form  of  Christianity  which  they  first  received,  was  that 
of  Arianism,  and  this  unfortunate  accident  "  infused  a  deadly 
poison  in  the  cup  of  salvation."  Arianism  was  adopted  as  the 
national  faith  of  the  warlike  converts  who  were  seated  on  the 
ruins  of  the  western  empire.  And  this  irreconcileable  differ- 
ence of  religion  was  a  perpetual  source  of  jealousy  and  hatred, 
and  the  reproach  of  barbarian  was  embittered  by  the  more 
odious  epithet  of  heretic.     The  distinction  of  Arian  and  Trini- 


45 

tarian  was  closely  connected  with  that  of  foreigner  and  Roman — 
conqueror  and  conquered — so  that  it  combined  the  bitterness  of 
politics  and  race  as  well  as  of  sect — the  bitterness  of  religious, 
political  and  national  animosity. 

And  the  name  of  the  star  is  called  wormwood,  and  the  third 
part  of  the  waters  became  wormwood ;  and  many  men  died  of 
the  waters  because  they  were  made  bitter.  Many  later  Chris- 
tians by  imbibing  the  doctrine  and  better  spirit  of  Arianism, 
died  to  Romanism,  and  were  lost  to  the  Roman  party. 

Those  of  the  vanquished  Romans  who  were  indifferent,  would 
naturally  acquiesce  in  and  imbibe  the  doctrine  established  by 
the  conquerors,  and  in  this  way  the  empire  would  lose  many 
of  its  religious  subjects. 

Verse  12.  And  the  fourth  angel  sounded,  and  the  third  part 
of  the  sun  was  smitten,  and  the  third  part  of  the  moon,  and  the 
third  part  of  the  stars ;  so  as  that  the  third  part  of  them  was 
darkened,  and  the  day  shone  not  for  a  third  part  of  it,  and  the 
night  likewise. 

This  is  not  a  destruction  of  the  lights  of  heaven — but  it  is  a 
partial  obscuration  of  them — they  merely  lose  a  part  of  their 
luminous  property. 

The  different  powers  or  orbs  in  the  firmaments  of  the  Roman 
empire  ceased  to  shine  with  their  former  glory  and  strength. 
The  meaning  is  that  some  reverse  of  fortune  was  now  to  befall 
the  high  places  of  power  so  as  to  enfeeble  their  authority  and 
influence,  and  interrupt  the  diffusion  of  knowledge  and  learn- 
ing. This  was  another  of  the  calamities  of  that  period  of 
Roman  history  which  followed  the  death  of  Theodosius.  He 
divided  the  imperial  government  between  his  two  sons — the  one 
having  Rome  for  his  capitol  and  the  other  Constantinople.  In 
the  year  476,  the  imperial  succession  was  discontinued  in  the 
west,  and  a  Gothic  King  assumed  the  government  of  Italy. 
"The  majesty  of  Rome  was  then  but  faintly  represented  by  the 
princes  of  Constantinople,  the  feeble  and  imaginary  successors 

of  Augustus."     There  is  no  period  in  the  annals  of  the  human 

5 


46 

race  which  presents  to  the  historical  student  a  greater  scene  of 
confusion,  than  the  century  succeeding  the  overthrow  of  the 
western  empire,  and  which  includes  these  four  judgments  upon 
the  Roman  world. 

The  different  hordes  of  barbarians  following  no  definite  plan 
established  separate  monarchies  in  the  dismembered  provinces, 
engaged  in  sanguinary  wars,  that  had  no  object  but  plunder, 
and  were  too  ignorant  to  form  any  thing  like  a  political  system. 
After  the  fall  of  the  western  empire  the  court  of  Constanti- 
nople sunk  into  obscurity,  from  which  it  did  not  emerge  for 
half  a  century,  when  its  supremacy  was  restored  during  the 
memorable  reign  of  Justinian.  (Taylor's  history,  modern 
Chap.  1.) 

And  this  period  was  a  period  not  only  of  comparative  anar- 
chy but  also  of  comparative  ignorance  or  darkness. 

"The  barbarous  nations,  which  either  spread  desolation  or 
'  formed  settlements  in  the  Roman  territories,  choked  the  growth 
'  of  those  genial  seeds  which  the  hand  of  science  had  sown  in 
'  more  auspicious  times.  These  savage  invaders  who  possessed 
'no  other  ambition  than  that  of  conquests,  and  considered 
'  military  courage  as  the  only  source  of  true  virtue  and  solid 
'  glory,  beheld,  in  consequence,  tho  acts  and  sciences  with  the 
'utmost  contempt.  Wherever  therefore  they  extended  their 
'  conquests,  ignorance  and  darkness  followed  their  steps ;  and 
'  the  culture  of  science  was  confined  to  the  priests  and  monks 
'  alone ;  and  among  these  learning  degenerated  from  its  primi- 
'  tive  lustre  and  put  on  the  most  unseemly  and  fantastic  form. 
'Amidst  the  seduction  of  corrupt  examples — the  charms  of 
'perpetual  danger,  and  the  horrors  and  devastations  of  war, 
'  the  sacerdotal  and  monastic  orders  lost  all  taste  for  solid 
'science.     (Moshem,  Cen.  5,  Part  2,  Chap.  1.) 

"  The  incursions  of  the  barbarous  nations  into  the  greatest 
'  part  of  the  western  provinces  were  extremely  prejudicial  to 
'  the  interests  of  learning  and  philosophy,  as  must  be  known  to 
'  all  who  have  any  acquaintance  with  the  history  of  those  un- 


47 

"  happy  times.  During  those  tumultuous  scenes  of  desolation 
"and  horror,  the  liberal  arts  and  sciences  would  have  been 
•*  totally  extinguished,  had  they  not  found  a  place  of  refuge, 
11  such  as  it  was  among  the  bishops  and  the  monastic  orders." 
(Moshem,  Cen.  6,  Part  2,  Chap.  1.) 

The  same  author  writes  of  the  7th  century,  "Nothing  can 
equal  the  ignorance  and  darkness  that  reigned  in  this  century. 
The  sciences  enjoyed  no  degree  of  protection,  at  this  time,  from 
kings  and  princes,  nor  did  they  owe  any  thing  to  men  of  high 
and  eminent  stations  in  the  empire. 

The  four  judgments  upon  the  Roman  world,  namely — the 
invasion  of  the  empire  by  armies  of  barbarians — the  fall  of 
Rome  from  its  greatness  and  security  into  disgrace  and  weak- 
ness— the  diffusion  of  Arianism  among  the  foreign  tribes  and 
nations  who  settled  in  the  empire,  and  the  partial  extinction  of 
the  authority  and  influence  of  the  Roman  luminaries — Roman 
rulers  and  teachers  make  the  period,  intervening  between  the 
death  of  Thcodosius  and  the  rise  of  Mahomedanism,  a  very 
disastrous  period  of  Roman  history.  If  (says  Robertson  in  his 
introduction  to  the  History  of  Charles  V.)  a  man  were  called  to 
fix  upon  the  period  in  the  history  of  the  world,  during  which 
the  condition  of  the  human  race  was  most  calamitous  and 
afflicted ;  he  would  without  hesitation,  name  that  which  elapsed 
from  the  death  of  Theodosius  the  Great,  to  the  establishment 
of  the  Lombards  in  Italy,  a  period  of  176  years.  The  cotem- 
porary  authors  who  beheld  that  scene  of  desolation,  labour,  and 
are  at  a  loss  for  expressions  to  describe  the  horror  of  it.  The 
scourge  of  God,  the  destroyer  of  nations,  are  the  dreadful  epi- 
thets by  which  they  distinguish  the  most  noted  of  the  barbarous 
leaders — and  they  compare  the  ruin  which  they  had  brought  on 
the  world  to  the  havoc  occasioned  by  earthquakes,  conflagra- 
tions or  deluges — the  most  formidable  and  fatal  calamities 
which  the  imagination  of  man  can  conceive. 

The  disastrous  period  of  these  four  judgments  was  regarded 
by  many  cotemporaries,  as  the  period  of  divine  judgment  upon 


48 

the  Koman  world.  "  The  political  prostration  of  the  western 
"  provinces,  overrun  by  so  many  savage  tribes — the  rapid  disso- 
11  lution  of  the  old  governments  without  any  stability  in  those 
"  which  succeeded  them,  the  subversion  of  legal  security,  the 
"  substitution  of  military  and  barbarous  license — these  and 
"other  circumstances,  aggravating  the  usual  miseries  of  con- 
quest, occasioned  wheresoever  they  extended,  more  absolute 
"  wretchedness,  both  individual  and  national,  than  had  hitherto 
"  been  recorded  in  the  history  of  man ;  insomuch  that  among 
"  those  who  beheld  and  shared  those  afflictions,  there  were  many 
"  who  regarded  them  as  special  demonstrations  of  divine  wrath. 
"  And  as  men  are  ever  prone  to  attribute  such  chastisements  to 
"  the  most  striking  revolution  of  their  own  day,  and  as  the  sub- 
"  version  of  the  temples  of  their  ancestors  was  still  recent  in 
"  their  memory,  some  there  were  who  ascribed  the  anger  of  the 
"  gods  to  the  establishment  and  prevalence  of  Christianity.  .  .  . 
"  This  foolish  delusion  was  immediately  and  successfully  com- 
"  batted  by  the  eloquence  of  St.  Augustin.  In  his  noble  com- 
u  position,  '  The  city  of  God/  he  confuted  the  error  by  irrefra- 
"  gable  arguments  and  conclusive  appeals  to  the  evidence  of 
"  profane  history,  and  inculcated  the  more  reasonable  opinion 
"  that  the  temporal  afflictions  which  God  permitted  to  devastate 
"  the  empire,  were  chastisements  inflicted  by  a  just  providence 
"  for  the  correction,  not  for  the  destruction  of  his  creatures. 

"  The  error  was  indeed  confuted  and  presently  died  away,  but 
"  the  general  dislocation  of  society  which  occasioned  it  must 
"  have  suspended  for  a  time  the  moral  energies  of  man,  and  the 
''•  period  of  his  severest  suffering  may  also  have  been  that  of  his 
"deepest  depravity."     (Waddington,  Chap.  9,  Sec.  3.) 

"  St.  Augustin  during  this  period  of  judgment  and  calamity 
upon  the  Roman  empire  wrote  his  learned  work  called  the  City 
of  God,  for  the  especial  purpose  of  justifying  the  ways  of  pro- 
vidence in  the  destruction  of  the  Roman  greatness." 

During  this  calamitous  period,  "  all  the  subjects  of  the  em- 
pire who  by  the  use  of  the  Latin  language  more  particularly 


49 

deserved  the  name  and  privileges  of  Romans  were  oppressed  by 
the  disgrace  and  calamities  of  foreign  conquests." 

The  four  kinds  of  judgments  or  calamities  that  followed  the 
sounding  of  the  first  four  trumpets  were  confined  for  the  most 
part  to  the  Latin  or  Western,  called  the  third  part  of  the  empire, 
and  were  inflicted  during  the  fifth  and  sixth  centuries. 

These  four  calamities  or  woes  if  consecutive  in  their  begin- 
ning became  cotemporaneous  in  their  progress ;  but  the  fearful 
calamities  or  woes  next  to  follow  are  to  be  consecutive  both  in 
their  beginning  and  in  their  progress — one  is  not  to  begin  until 
the  other  is  ended.  And  I  beheld  and  heard  an  angel  flying 
through  the  midst  of  heaven,  saying  with  a  loud  voice,  wo,  wo, 
wo,  to  the  inhabiters  of  the  earth — by  reason  of  the  voices  of 
the  trumpet  of  the  three  angels  which  are  yet  to  sound.  These 
calamities  or  woes  are  chiefly  to  fall  upon  the  inhabiters  of  the 
earth — that  is  upon  the  Romans  in  their  religious  character, 
upon  Christians  of  the  prevailing  or  established  idolatrous  form 
of  Christianity. 


DISCOURSE  IV. 
Rev.  ix.  1, 2. 


"And  the  fifth  angel  sounded,  and  I  saw  a  star  fall  from  heaven  unto 
the  earth ;  and  to  him  was  given  the  key  of  the  bottomless  pit.  And 
he  opened  the  bottomless  pit ;  and  there  arose  a  smoke  out  of  the  pit, 
as  the  smoke  of  a  great  furnace,  and  the  sun  and  the  air  were  darkened 
by  reason  of  the  smoke  of  the  pit." 

The  apostle  did  not  (according  to  the  translation  of  the  text) 
sec  the  star  in  the  act  of  falling  from  heaven  to  earth,  but  he 
saw  it  after  it  had  fallen.  This  star  must  be  intended  to  repre- 
sent Nestorius  and  his  teaching.  It  fell  from  heaven  to  the 
earth  when  Nestorius  was  removed  from  his  patriarchal  office 


50 

and  his  teaching  and  party  degraded  from  all  power  and  influ- 
ence in  the  government.  The  bottomless  pit  or  the  well  of  the 
abyss  or  deep,  signifies  a  place  or  state  of  confinement  and 
obscurity.  The  smoky  or  dark  volatile  matter  escaping  from 
this  well  represents  the  blind  and  fanatical  elements  of  society 
in  the  form  of  bitter  and  hostile  sects  let  loose  from  all  restraint. 
The  teaching  of  Nestorius  commenced  in  the  empire  a  contro- 
versy that  gave  vent  to  these  elements,  and  served  to  raise  them 
into  notice  and  consideration,  and  to  impair  the  vigor  of  the 
supreme  authority  and  influence  in  the  Roman  world,  and  in 
this  respect  they  were  like  as  the  smoke  of  a  great  furnace, 
which  darkened  the  sun  and  the  air. 

It  is  recorded  of  Nestorius,  that  when  he  was  appointed  to 
the  patriarchal  throne  of  Constantinople,  he  accepted  and  entered 
upon  his  office,  with  the  determination  to  seek  out  and  extirpate 
all  the  heretical  sects  that  lurked  in  the  empire.  This  bitter 
and  persecuting  zeal,  served  however,  in  his,  as  well  as  in  other 
cases,  only  to  increase  the  evil,  aud  greatly  to  multiply  the 
number  of  the  sectarians  and  heretics.  The  controversy  which 
he  commenced,  concerning  the  nature  of  Christ's  existence  here 
on  earth,  was  continued  during  a  period  of  about  three  hundred 
years,  and  produced  no  little  disturbance  or  confusion  through- 
out the  empire.  And  we  may  well  suppose,  that  a  controversy 
which  for  so  long  a  time,  occupied  the  pen,  and  the  discourses, 
and  the  conversation  of  contentious  and  angry  spirits,  would 
evolve  a  great  quantity  of  misty  reasoning  and  writing.  What 
for  the  most  part,  are  the  productions  which  emanate  from  the 
angry  and  bitter  spirit  of  sect  or  party,  but  trash,  weightless 
and  cloudy,  like  smoke.  By  a  common  figure  of  speech,  the 
effect  is  often  made  to  stand  for  the  cause,  and  so  here  smoke 
stands  for  the  materials  which  produce  it,  that  is,  zealots  and 
fanatics. 

It  appears,  that  the  position  assumed  by  Nestorius  and  his 
party  in  this  controversy,  was  this,  that  there  were  in  Christ, 
two  distinct  persons,  as  well  as  two  distinct  natures.     There 


51 

was  another  party  who  assumed  an  opposite  position,  that  there 
was  in  Christ  but  one  person  and  one  nature.  The  Orthodox 
or  Catholic  doctrine  was,  that  of  Christ,  in  two  natures  but  one 
person.  The  authoritative  establishment  of  this  doctrine,  did  not, 
however,  end  the  controversy,  but  it  became  a  matter  of  dispute 
for  fifty  years  longer,  whether  Christ,  in  one  person  but  two 
natures,  was  actuated  by  a  single  or  double  will.  And  it  was, 
while  these  disputes  were  distracting  the  Roman  world,  that 
Mahomed  fabricated  his  religion  ;  and  as  if  in  contempt  of  these 
disputants,  he  excluded  from  it  the  whole  mystery  of  Christ's 
incarnation,  and  acknowledged  him  only  as  the  son  of  man,  and 
the  Apostle  of  God.  And  it  is  remarkable,  that  during  this 
dispute,  the  Mahomedans  found  time  to  convert  Arabia,  and  to 
conquer  Persia,  Syria,  Palestine,  and  Egypt,  and  to  take  the 
three  patriarchal  cities,  Antioch,  Alexandria,  and  Jerusalem, 
and  soon  after  Carthage. 

The  controversy  commenced  by  Nestorius,  as  it  progressed, 
seemed  to  bring  into  action  and  notice,  all  the  latent,  angry, 
contentious,  and  fanatical  elements  of  society.  We  find  evidence 
of  this  fact,  in  the  violent  proceedings  of  the  several  councils 
which  this  controversy  assembled.  One  of  these  councils  in 
particular,  conducted  itself  with  so  much  violence  and  brutality, 
that  it  has  been  stigmatized  in  every  age  of  the  Church  since, 
as  the  assembly  of  robbers.  One  of  the  emperors,  by  the  pub- 
lication of  an  Edict  of  Union,  attempted  to  extinguish  the  dis- 
sension and  animosity  which  this  controversy  had  occasioned 
among  his  Christian  subjects,  but  to  the  disgrace  of  the  dispu- 
tants, says  the  historian,  and  almost  to  the  scandal  of  human 
nature,  it  proved  that  an  attempt,  judiciously  conceived  by  a 
benevolent  prince  to  compose  the  religious  differences  of  his 
subjects,  produced  no  other  effect,  than  to  inflame  the  character 
and  multiply  the  ground  of  dissension.  And  that  unhappy 
result  was  not  in  this  case,  attributable  to  the  infliction  of  any 
civil  penalties  in  the  arbitrary  enforcement  of  the  decree,  but 
solely  to  the  vehemence  of  the  passions  engaged  on  both  sides, 


52 

which  had  hardened  the  greater  number  against  any  representa- 
tions of  wisdom  or  reason,  and  even  against  the  ordinary  influ- 
ence of  their  human  feelings.  (Waddington.) 

The  angry  feelings,  and  the  hostile  sects,  which  this  contro- 
versy evolved,  impaired  the  authority  of  the  emperors,  and  of 
general  councils.  These  hostile  sects  sought  refuge  in  the 
eastern  countries,  beyond  the  Roman  empire,  where  their 
number,  and  their  enmity  against  the  Roman  government,  pre- 
pared them  in  the  course  of  time,  to  form  an  alliance  with  the 
Mahomedan  invaders,  and  to  cast  their  weight  in  the  downfall 
of  the  eastern  empire. 

Thus  while  the  smoke  of  this  long  and  angry  controversy  was 
overspreading  the  firmament  of  the  Roman  world  and  shutting 
out  the  light  of  the  sun,  the  Mahomedans  in  the  form  of  locusts 
appear,  descending  from  the  cloud  of  smoke  and  lighting  upon 
the  earth — that  is,  appear  coming  out  from  among  these  fanati- 
cal elements  and  inflicting  evil  upon  the  Romans. 

Verses  3-6.  "  And  there  came  out  of  the  smoke  locusts  upon 
the  earth  and  unto  them  was  given  power,  as  the  scorpions  of 
the  earth  have  power.  And  it  was  commanded  them  that  they 
should  not  hurt  the  grass  of  the  earth,  neither  any  green  thing, 
neither  any  tree ;  but  only  those  men  which  have  not  the  mark 
of  God  on  their  foreheads.  And  to  them  it  was  given  that  they 
should  not  kill  them,  but  that  they  should  be  tormented  five 
months ;  and  their  torment  was  as  the  torment  of  a  scorpion 
when  he  striketh  a  man.  And  in  those  days  shall  men  seek 
death  and  shall  not  find  it,  and  shall  desire  to  die  and  death  shall 
flee  from  them."  These  words,  explain  the  nature  of  the  mis- 
sion committed  to  these  locusts.  Their  mission  was  not  so  much 
to  ruin  the  flourishing  and  wealthy  portion  of  Roman  subjects, 
as  it  was  to  annoy  the  idolatrous  part  of  the  population — that  is, 
those  Christians  who  had  fallen  away  from  a  pure  Christian  wor- 
ship, into  idolatrous  additions  and  innovations.  They  were  com- 
manded or  commissioned,  to  sting  and  torment  these  idolaters^ 
but  not  to  kill  them — that  is,  not  to  destroy  the  idolatrous 


53 

Roman  corporate  life  or  spirit  with  which  they  were  actuated. 
They  were  not  to  succeed  in  forcing  out  of  the  minds  of  these 
idolaters,  those  Roman  ideas  and  prejudices  which  sustained  in 
them,  the  corporate  spirit  or  life  of  Roman  idolatry. 

Annoyed  by  the  Mahomedans,  these  Roman  idolaters  would 
desire  and  endeavor  to  free  themselves  from  the  corporate  idola- 
trous spirit  and  ideas  and  prejudices  peculiar  to  Romans,  but 
should  not  succeed,  as  we  shall  see  hereafter. 

The  locusts  are  to  hurt  men  for  a  given  time.  Their  power 
was  to  hurt  men  during  a  period  of  five  months  or  an  hun- 
dred and  fifty  days,  which,  when  relating  to  judgments  and 
calamities  inflicted,  as  we  learn  from  Ezekiel,  mean,  in  the  lan- 
guage of  symbolical  prophecy,  so  many  years. 

"We  have  also,  a  description  of  the  form  and  appearance  of 
these  locusts,  with  the  name  of  their  king. 

Verses  7-11.  "And  the  shapes  of  the  locusts  were  like  unto 
horses  prepared  unto  battle,  and  on  their  heads  were  crowns  like 
gold,  and  their  faces  were  as  the  faces  of  men,  and  they  had  hair 
as  the  hair  of  women,  and  their  teeth  were  as  the  teeth  of  lions. 
And  they  had  breast-plates,  as  it  were  breast-plates  of  iron,  and 
the  sound  of  their  wings  was  as  the  sound  of  chariots  running 
to  battle.  And  they  had  tails  like  unto  scorpions,  and  there 
were  stings  in  their  tails ;  and  their  power  was  to  hurt  men  five 
months.  And  they  had  a  king  over  them,  which  is  the  angel  of 
the  bottomless  pit,  whose  name  in  the  Hebrew  tongue  is  Abad- 
don, but  in  the  Greek  tongue  hath  his  name  Apollyon." 

Arabia  is  considered  as  the  native  country  of  the  locusts,  and 
there  can  be  do  doubt  that  the  locusts  here,  are  intended  to  re- 
present the  Mahomedans,  Arabians — or  Saracens,  as  they  were 
called  by  the  Greeks  and  Latins.  "  It  has  been  remarked,  that 
the  Saracens  have  made  inroads  into  all  those  parts  of  Christen- 
dom, where  the  natural  locusts  are  wont  to  be  seen  and  known 
to  do  mischief :  that  where  the  locusts  are  seldom  seen,  there 
the  Saracens  stayed  little.  Where  the  natural  locusts  are  often 
seen,  there  the  Saracens  abode  most,  and  where  they  breed  most, 


54 

there  the  Saracens  had  their  beginning  and  greatest  power." 
(Bishop  Newton.)  The  shapes  of  the  locusts  were  like  unto 
horses  prepared  unto  battle.  This  is  intended  to  represent  the 
Mahomedans  as  soldiers,  eager  for  war  and  conquests.  Their 
armies,  moreover,  chiefly  consisted  of  cavalry.  Arabia,  in  the 
opinion  of  naturalists,  is  the  genuine  and  original  country  of  the 
horse.  They  had  on  their  heads  crowns  like  gold,  to  signify  that 
they  would  succeed  in  acquiring  wealth  and  dominion,  and  no 
nation  ever  conquered  so  many  kingdoms  in  so  short  a  space  of 
time. 

Their  faces  were  as  the  faces  of  men.  As  a  sense  of  religion  is 
the  distinguishing  character  of  humanity,  the  human  face,  we 
may  suppose  intended,  to  represent  these  Saracen  soldiers  in  their 
religious  aspect  and  profession.  And  the  professed  object  for 
which  they  took  the  sword  and  carried  on  war,  was  the  propaga- 
tion of  religion.  Their  wars  were  professedly  religious  wars,  in- 
tended to  force  their  religion  upon  an  infidel  and  idolatrous  world. 

They  had  hair  as  the  hair  of  women,  to  signify  their  subjec- 
tion to  government  would  be  more  the  result  of  good  will  and 
affection  than  of  force.  The  long  hair  of  woman,  according  to 
St.  Paul,  indicates,  in  the  language  of  signs,  her  subjection  to 
the  authority  of  the  husband.  The  government  of  the  Sara- 
cens was  of  a  patriarchal  nature.  The  authority  to  which  they 
rendered  respect  and  obedience,  was  that  of  superior  wisdom  and 
age.  Perhaps  the  faces  of  men  and  the  hair  of  women,  were 
intended  to  signify  that  while  their  obedience  would  be  of  this 
free  and  amiable  nature,  their  minds  should  be  of  a  courageous 
and  manly  character. 

"  In  every  tribe  of  the  Arabians,  superstition  or  gratitude  or 
fortune,  has  exalted  a  particular  family  above  the  heads  of  their 
equals.  The  dignities  of  Sheich  and  Emir  invariably  descend 
in  this  chosen  race,  but  the  order  of  succession  is  loose  and  pre- 
carious, and  the  most  worthy  or  aged  of  the  noble  kinsmen  are 
preferred,  to  the  simple  though  important  office  of  composing 
disputes  by  their  advice,  and  guiding  valor  by  their  example. 


55 

The  momentary  junction  of  several  tribes,  produces  an  army,— 
their  more  lasting  union  constitutes  a  nation,  and  the  supreme 
chief,  the  Emir  of  Emirs,  whose  banner  is  displayed  at  their 
head,  may  deserve,  in  the  eye  of  strangers,  the  honors  of  the 
kingly  name.  If  the  Arabian  princes  abuse  their  power,  they 
are  quickly  punished  by  the  desertion  of  their  subjects  who  had 
been  accustomed  to  a  mild  and  parental  jurisdiction.  Their  spi- 
rit is  free,  their  steps  are  unconfined,  the  desert  is  open  and  the 
tribes  are  held  together  by  a  mutual  and  voluntary  compact. 
The  grandfather  of  Mahomet  and  his  lineal  ancestors,  appear  in 
foreign  and  domestic  transactions  as  the  princes  of  their  country, 
but  they  reigned  like  Pericles  at  Athens,  or  the  Medici  at  Florence, 
by  the  opinion  of  their  wisdom  and  integrity.  In  the  more  simple 
state  of  the  Arabs  the  nation  is  free,  because  each  of  her  sons  dis- 
dains a  base  submission  to  the  will  of  a  master.  The  sense  of  his 
own  importance,  teaches  him  to  accost  his  equals  without  levity 
and  his  superiors  without  awe.  The  liberty  of  the  Saracens  sur- 
vived their  conquests.  The  first  caliphs  indulged  the  bold  and 
familiar  language  of  their  subjects :  they  ascended  the  pulpit  to 
persuade  and  edify  the  congregation ;  nor  was  it  before  the  seat 
of  empire  was  removed  to  the  Tigris,  that  the  Abbassides  adopt- 
ed the  proud  and  pompous  ceremonial  of  the  Persian  and  Byzan- 
tine courts."     (Gibbon,  Chap.  50.) 

They  have  teeth  as  the  teeth  of  lions.  They  are  strong  and 
courageous  in  seizing  and  devouring  the  substance  of  their  ene- 
mies. Nothing  will  be  able  to  escape  their  grasp  and  power. 
There  is  a  generation,  says  Solomon,  whose  teeth  are  as  swords, 
and  their  jaw  teeth  as  knives,  to  devour  the  poor  from  off  the 
earth  and  the  needy  from  among  men. 

"  The  Arabians  pretend  that  in  the  division  of  the  earth,  the 
"rich  and  fertile  climates  were  assigned  to  the  other  branches 
"  of  the  human  family,  and  that  the  posterity  of  the  outlaw 
"  Ishmael,  might  recover  by  fraud  and  force,  the  portion  of  in- 
"  heritance  of  which  he  had  been  unjustly  deprived.  .  .  Their 
"  neighbours,  since  the  remote  times  of  Job  and  Sesostris,  have 


56 

u  been  the  victims  of  their  rapacious  spirit.  The  temper  of  a 
°  people  thus  armed  against  mankind,  was  doubly  inflamed  by  the 
u  domestic  license  of  rapine,  murder  and  revenge.'' 

And  they  had  breast-plates  as  it  were  breast-plates  of  iron. 

The  breast-plate,  is  a  piece  of  defensive  armour  to  protect  the 
heart,  and  the  heart  is  used  in  Scripture,  to  signify  the  seat  of 
thought,  of  courage  and  resolution,  as  well  as  of  affection. 

St.  Paul  speaks  of  the  breast-plate  of  faith  and  love,  and  of 
the  breast-plate  of  righteousness.  Faith  in  the  righteousness, 
justification — forgiveness  of  God, — and  the  affection  or  love 
which  this  faith  begets  in  the  Christian,  serve  to  protect  him 
from  despair  and  discouragement. 

The  iron  breast-plate  to  protect  the  heart,  seems  here  to  sig- 
nify, some  principles  of  belief,  steeling  or  hardening  their  minds 
against  feelings  of  discouragement  or  fear  or  weakness,  in  their 
opposition  to  idolatry  and  infidelity. 

Perhaps  we  explain  the  meaning  of  the  iron  breast-plates 
when  we  say  of  the  Arab,  in  the  language  of  the  historian  whom 
we  have  already  quoted,  "  His  breast  is  fortified  witli  the  austere 
virtues  of  courage,  patience  and  sobriety.  Mahomed  helped  to 
fortify  the  breasts  of  his  soldiers  with  this  iron  courage,  patience 
and  sobriety,  when  he  taught  them  the  doctrines  of  fatalism  and 
promised  paradise  to  every  one  that  fell  in  battle. 

"  The  sword,"  says  he,  "is  the  key  of  heaven  and  of  hell ;  a  drop 
of  blood,  shed  in  the  cause  of  God,  a  night  spent  in  arms,  is  of 
more  avail  than  two  months  of  fasting  and  prayer.  Whoever 
falls  in  battle,  his  sins  are  forgiven.  At  the  day  of  judgment 
his  wounds  shall  be  resplendent  as  vermillion  and  odoriferous  as 
musk,  and  the  loss  of  his  limbs  shall  be  supplied  by  the  wings 
of  angels  and  cherubims."  Thus  death  became  to  them  an 
object  of  desire  and  hope. 

"  The  belief  also,  in  the  tenets  of  fatalism  and  predestination, 
"  has  in  every  age  exalted  the  courage  of  the  Saracens  and  Turks. 
"  The  first  companions  of  Mahomet  advanced  to  battle  witli 
"  a  fearless   confidence  :    there  is   no  danger  where   there   is 


57 

"  no  chance :  they  were  ordained  to  perish  in  their  beds — or 
"  they  were  safe  and  invulnerable  amidst  the  darts  of  the  ene- 
"my." — Gibbon.  .  .  .  Their  belief  in  fatalism  and  the  prospect 
of  paradise  served  in  the  day  of  battle  as  an  iron  defence  to  their 
enthusiastic  and  intrepid  minds. 

And  the  sound  of  their  wings  was  as  the  sound  of  chariots  of 
many  horses  running  to  battle.  These  words  describe  tbeir 
numerous  armies  as  proceeding  with  great  rapidity  in  the  career 
of  conquests. 

Verse  11.  "  And  they  had  tails  like  unto  scorpions  and  there 
were  stings  in  their  tails :  and  their  power  was  to  hurt  men  five 
months." 

The  Lord,  says  the  prophet  Isaiah,  will  cut  off  from  Israel  the 
head  and  tail,  branch  and  rush,  in  one  day.  The  ancient  and 
honourable,  he  is  the  head ;  and  the  prophet  that  teaches  lies, 
he  is  the  tail.  The  tails  of  the  locusts,  therefore,  represent  Ma- 
homedans  in  their  false  teaching,  and  these  tails  were  endowed 
with  the  sting  and  venom  of  scorpions,  to  signify  that  their  false 
teaching  would  include  some  doctrine  very  annoying  and  tor- 
menting to  the  minds  and  feelings  of  the  idolatrous  Christians 
of  the  empire.  The  king  over  them  is  Mahomed  and  his  caliphs 
or  successors.  He  is  called  the  Angel  of  the  Well  of  the  Deep, 
because  he  is  the  apostle  of  the  deluded  and  fanatical,  whose 
native  region  is  that  of  ignorance  and  darkness — the  well  of  the 
abyss.  In  Mahomed,  the  deluded  and  fanatical  portion  of  the 
world,  have  had  a  representative  and  leader,  unrivalled  in  suc- 
cessful error  and  imposition.  And  we  need  not  be  surprised 
that  in  an  age  of  ignorance  when  the  fanatical  and  contentious 
spirit  of  sect  and  party  was  extensively  diffused,  that  a  multi- 
tude of  proselytes  should  embrace  the  doctrines  or  the  passions 
of  an  eloquent  fanatic.  The  name  given  to  this  apostle  of  fana- 
tics, is  that  of  the  destroyer.  Mahomed  taught  that  he  was 
commanded  by  divine  revelation,  to  propagate  his  religion  by 
the  sword  :  to  destroy  the  monuments  of  idolatry,  and  without 

6 


58 

regarding  the  sanctity  of  days  and  months,  to  pursue  the  unbe- 
lieving nations  of  the  earth. 

But  while  the  Mahomedans  were  falsely  teaching  that  God 
commanded  them  by  an  express  revelation,  to  chastise  and 
exterminate  the  crime  of  idolatry  with  the  sword,  they  at  the 
same  time,  with  good  reason,  charge  their  crime  upon  the  Chris- 
tians of  the  established  religion  of  the  empire.  And  it  was  this 
false  teaching,  accompanied  with  this  well  founded  charge,  and 
the  unexampled  success  of  their  arms,  that  constituted  the 
story  with  which  they  annoyed  and  tormented  these  idolatrous 
Roman  Christians. 

11  The  worship  of  images  had  stolen  into  the  Church  by  insen- 
"  sible  degrees,  and  each  petty  step  was  pleasing  to  the  super- 
"  stitious  mind,  as  productive  of  comfort,  and  innocent  of  sin. 
tl  But  in  the  beginning  of  the  eighth  century,  in  the  full  mag- 
"  nitude  of  the  abuse,  the  more  timorous  Greeks,  were  awakened 
"  by  an  apprehension,  that  under  the  mask  of  Christianity,  they 
11  had  restored  the  religion  of  their  fathers ;  they  heard,  with 
"  grief  and  impatience,  the  name  of  idolaters ;  the  incessant 
"  charge  of  the  Jews  and  Mahometans,  who  .derived  from  the 
"  law  and  the  koran,  an  immortal  hatred  to  graven  images,  and 
"  all  relative  worship.  The  servitude  of  the  Jews  might  curb 
"  their  zeal,  and  depreciate  their  authority,  but  the  triumphant 
"  Mussulmans,  who  reigned  at  Damascus,  and  threatened  Con- 
"  stantinople,  cast  into  the  scale  of  reproach,  the  accumulated 
"  weight  of  truth  and  victory.  The  cities  of  Syria,  Palestine,  and 
"  Egypt,  had  been  fortified  with  the  images  of  Christ,  his  mother, 
"  and  his  saints ;  and  each  city  presumed  on  the  hope  or  promise 
"  of  miraculous  defence.  In  a  rapid  conquest  of  ten  years,  the 
"Arabs  subdued  those  cities  and  their  images,  and  in  their 
"  opinion,  the  Lord  of  hosts,  pronounced  a  decisive  judgment 
"  between  the  adoration  and  contempt  of  these  mute  and  inani- 
"  mate  idols.  In  this  season  of  distress  and  dismay,  the  elo- 
"  quence  of  the  monks  was  exercised  in  defence  of  images,  and 


59 

"  they  attempted  to  prove,  that  the  sin  and  schism  of  the 
"  greatest  part  of  the  Orientals,  had  forfeited  the  favour,  and 
"  annihilated  the  virtue  of  these  precious  symbols.  But  they 
"  were  now  opposed  by  the  murmurs  of  many  simple  and 
"  rational  Christians,  who  appealed  to  the  evidence  of  texts,  of 
"  facts,  and  of  the  primitive  times,  and  secretly  desired  the 
"reformation  of  the  Church."  (Gibbon,  Chap.  49.) 

In  the  year  718,  the  Emperor  Leo,  the  Isaurian,  commenced 
his  reign.  He  had  been  educated  among  Christians,  not  accus- 
tomed in  their  worship  to  the  use  of  images.  This  education, 
his  reason,  and  perhaps  his  intercourse  with  the  Jews  and 
Arabs,  had  inspired  him  with  a  hatred  of  images.  Unable  to 
bear  any  longer  the  excessive  height  to  which  the  Greeks  car- 
ried their  superstitious  attachment  to  the  worship  of  images, 
and  the  sharp  railleries,  and  serious  reproaches,  which  this 
idolatrous  service  drew  upon  the  Christians  from  the  Jews  and 
Saracens,  he  resolved  by  the  most  vigorous  proceedings,  to  root 
out  at  once  this  growing  evil.  He  issued  an  edict  requiring  the 
removal  of  all  images  from  churches.  This  edict  was  resisted 
by  the  Bishop  of  Rome,  and  this  resistance  led  in  the  year  730, 
to  the  revolt  of  Italy,  and  its  separation  from  the  eastern  empire. 
The  Emperor  persisted  in  his  project  with  great  perseverance, 
and  with  some  prospect  of  success,  until  his  death.  His  son 
and  successor,  also  persevered  in  the  same  effort.  In  the  year 
754,  he  assembled  a  general  council  in  the  suburbs  of  Constan- 
tinople. This  council  was  composed  of  the  respectable  number 
of  three  hundred  and  thirty-eight  bishops.  They  decreed  by  a 
unanimous  subscription,  that  image  worship  was  a  corruption  of 
Christianity,  and  that  images  used  for  such  a  purpose,  should 
be  broken  or  erased,  and  hence  they  were  called  Iconoclasts,  or 
image  breakers.  The  bishops  of  Rome,  aided  by  the  monks, 
took  the  side  of  the  venerable  images ;  and  this  emperor,  during 
the  whole  course  of  his  reign,  was  employed  in  contention  with 
idols,  and  with  the  pernicious  influence  of  Rome  and  the  monks, 
who  protected  and  supported  them.     Soon  after  the  death  of  this 


60 

emperor,  the  administration  of  public  affairs  fell  into  the  hands  of 
the  Empress  Irene.  "  Immediately  the  religious  policy  of  the 
palace  was  changed ;  and  as  fifty  years  of  vigorous  opposition  had 
not  availed  to  extirpate  corruptions  which  were  the  gradual 
growth  of  four  centuries,  the  change  was  hailed  with  delight  by 
a  large  proportion  of  the  people." 

In  the  year  787,  a  general  council  was  assembled  at  Nice,  by 
which  the  images  were  re-instated  in  their  former  honours 
through  the  united  exertions  of  the  monks,  and  the  mob,  and 
the  Pope,  and  the  Empress.  This  last  public  act  of  the  united 
Greek  and  Roman  communions,  established  idolatry  as  the  law 
of  the  catholic  established  Church. 

Some  of  the  emperors  who  succeeded  Irene,  did  not  respect 
the  decisions  of  this  council,  but  used  their  authority  and  influ- 
ence to  eradicate  this  corrupt  form  of  worship.  But  in  the 
year  842,  the  Empress  Theodora  re-established  the  authority 
of  the  seventh  council,  and  replaced  the  images  with  so  firm  a 
hand,  that  they  have  never  since  been  shaken. 

They  were  not,  however,  so  firmly  established,  but  that 
another  council  assembled  at  Constantinople,  in  the  year  879, 
in  further  confirmation  of  idolatry.  And  it  was,  according  to 
Moshiem,  after  this  council,  that  the  festival  was  instituted, 
called  the  feast  of  orthodoxy,  for  the  purpose  of  preserving  the 
annual  memory  of  the  triumph  of  images,  which  the  supersti- 
tious Greeks  regarded  as  the  most  signal  blessing  derived  to 
them  from  the  immediate  interposition  of  heaven. 

Among  the  Latins,  as  well  as  among  the  Greeks,  efforts  had 
been  made,  both  by  councils  and  by  rulers,  to  free  themselves 
from  the  idolatrous  influence  and  spirit  of  Rome,  but  without 
success.  The  party  most  anxious  to  free  themselves  from  the 
law  and  charge  of  idolatry,  did  not  understand  the  nature  and 
extent  of  their  departure  from  the  purity  of  Christian  worship. 
"  In  the  long  night  of  superstition,  they  had  wandered  far  away 
from  the  simplicity  of  the  gospel ;  nor  was  it  easy  for  them  to 
discern  the  clue,  and  tread  back  the  mazes  of  the  labyrinth." 


61 

While  they  were  contending  against  the  use  of  images  in  reli- 
gious worship,  they  were  not  aware  that  when  they  were  invo- 
cating  departed  saints,  and  imploring  their  assistance  and 
intercessions,  they  were  practicing  the  demon  or  mediator  wor- 
ship of  their  forefathers,  the  ancient  Greeks  and  Romans. 
They  sincerely  desired,  and  endeavoured  to  destroy  in  them- 
selves, the  Roman  corporate  spirit  and  influence,  so  far  as  they 
were  idolatrous,  but  they  were  not  sufliciently  enlightened  in 
this  gospel,  to  effect  the  objects  of  their  desires  and  efforts. 
They  sought  death  and  did  not  find  it,  and  they  desired  to  die, 
and  death  fled  from  them.  The  influence  of  Rome  could  not 
be  overcome.  This  long  controversy  on  the  subject  of  image 
worship,  evinced  how  much  the  feelings  of  Roman  Christians 
were  hurt,  by  the  teaching  and  reproaches  of  the  victorious 
Mahometans.  Their  power  was  to  hurt  them  five  months,  one 
hundred  and  fifty  days,  one  hundred  and  fifty  years.  This  is  a 
round  sum,  and  it  may  not  be  intended  to  measure  very  pre- 
cisely the  period  of  their  power  to  hurt.  But  if  we  may 
measure  this  period  by  the  controversy  on  image  worship — and 
we  began  this  controversy  by  the  opposition  of  the  Pope  to  the 
imperial  edict,  and  the  revolt  of  Italy  in  the  years  728-30,  and 
end  it  in  the  year  879,  when  a  council  holden  at  Constantinople, 
completed  the  triumph  of  idolatry ;  we  shall  have  a  period  of 
one  hundred  and  fifty  years  to  verify  the  prediction.  It  was  at 
the  close  of  this  period,  moreover,  that  the  Mahomedans  com- 
pleted the  conquest  of  Sicily,  by  taking  Syracuse.  And  after 
the  Saracens  had  annexed  Sicily  to  their  empire,  they  ceased, 
in  consequence  of  their  divisions,  to  conquer  any  countries  of 
importance,  and  the  design  of  conquest  and  dominion  was  de- 
graded to  a  repetition  of  predatory  inroads. 

And  it  is  remarkable,  that  the  capture  of  Syracuse  was  the 
fault  of  the  mariners  of  the  imperial  fleet,  who  had  been  detained 
at  Constantinople,  in  building  a  Church  to  the  Virgin  Mary, 
instead  of  sailing  to  the  besieged  Syracusans.  It  was  the 
greatest  of  the  crimes  "  of  the  ancient  directors  of  the  Christian 

6* 


62 

"  Church,  and  that  which  more  peculiarly  brought  down  upon 
"it  the  chastisement  from  Arabia,  that  they  filled  the  temples 
"  with  their  detested  idols,  and  obtruded  them  upon  the  eyes, 
"  and  into  the  hands  of  the  most  ignorant.  Nor  can  their 
"  advocates  plead  the  necessity  of  this  conduct,  for  the  example 
"  of  the  Mahomedan  faith  alone,  has  proved  that  a  people  may 
"  be  barbarous,  without  being  idolatrous,  when  idolatry  is  dis- 
"  couraged  by  the  ministers  of  religion."  (Waddington,  Chap, 
ii.  Sec.  6.)  The  Mahomedans  have  uniformly  withstood  the 
temptation  of  reducing  the  object  of  their  faith  and  devotion  to 

a  level  with  the  senses  and  imagination  of  man The 

intellectual  image  of  the  Deity  has  never  been  degraded  by  any 
visible  idol — the  honours  of  the  prophet  have  never  transgressed 
the  measure  of  human  virtue;  and  his  living  precepts  have 
restrained  the  gratitude  of  his  disciples  within  the  bounds  of 
reason  and  religion.  The  votaries  of  Ali  have  indeed  conse- 
crated the  memory  of  their  hero,  his  wife,  and  his  children,  and 
some  of  the  Persian  doctors  pretend  that  the  divine  essence  was 
incarnate  in  the  person  of  the  Imams ;  but  their  superstition  is 
universally  condemned  by  the  Sonnites,  and  their  impiety  has 
afforded  a  seasonable  warning  against  the  worship  of  saints  and 
angels.  (Gibbon.) 

One  woe  is  past,  and  beheld  there  come  two  woes  more  here- 
after. 


63 


DISCOURSE   V. 
Rev.  ix.  13-21. 

"  And  the  sixth  angel  sounded,  and  I  heard  a  voice  from  the  four 
horns  of  the  golden  altar  which  is  before  God,  saying  to  the  sixth  angel 
which  held  the  trumpet,  Loose  the  four  angels  which  are  bound  in  the 
great  river  Euphrates.  And  the  four  angels  were  loosed,  which  were 
prepared  for  an  hour,  and  a  day,  and  a  month,  and  a  year,  for  to  slay 
the  third  part  of  men.  And  the  number  of  the  army  of  the  horsemen 
were  two 'hundred  thousand  thousand  :  and  I  heard  the  number  of  them. 
And  thus  I  saw  the  horses  in  the  vision,  and  them  that  sat  on  them, 
having  breastplates  of  fire,  and  of  jacinth,  and  brimstone:  and  the 
heads  of  the  horses  were  as  the  heads-  of  lions  ;  and  out  of  their  mouths 
issued  fire,  and  smoke,  and  brimstone.  By  these  three  was  the  third 
part  of  men  killed,  by  the  fire,  and  by  the  smoke,  and  by  the  brimstone, 
which  issued  out  of  their  mouths.  For  their  power  is  in  their  mouth, 
and  in  their  tails :  for  their  tails  were  like  unto  serpents,  and  had 
heads,  and  with  them  they  do  hurt.  And  the  rest  of  the  men  which  were 
not  killed  by  these  plagues,  yet  repented  not  of  the  works  of  their  hands, 
that  they  should  not  worship  devils,  and  idols  of  gold,  and  silver,  and 
brass,  and  stone,  and  of  wood :  which  neither  can  see,  nor  hear,  nor 
walk :  Neither  repented  they  of  their  murders,  nor  of  their  sorceries, 
nor  of  their  fornication,  nor  of  their  thefts." 

Under  the  sixth  seal  the  Apostle  saw  the  four  winds  of  heaven, 
held  and  restrained  by  four  angels,  standing  on  the  four  corners 
of  the  earth.  Here  under  the  sixth  trumpet,  four  angels,  having 
at  their  command  an  immense  army  of  cavalry,  are  seen,  bound 
in  or  at  the  great  river  Euphrates,  that  is,  confined  and  re- 
strained in  the  presence  of  the  Greek  nation — for  the  great 
river  Euphrates  stands  for  the  Greek  people — being  the  most 
considerable  people  of  a  foreign  language,  forming  a  constituent 
part  of  the  Roman  empire. 

If  the  breaking  loose  of  the  four  winds  of  the  earth  from  the 
four  angels  who  held  them  in  their  power,  represents  that  gene- 
ral irruption  or  breaking  loose  of  the  barbarians  which  began  in 
the  fifth  century,  so  the  loosing  of  the  four  angels  having  at 
their  command  an  immense  army  of  cavalry,  but  bound  in  the 
presence  of  the  Greek  nation,  represents  that  general  calamitous 


64 

irruption  of  those  different  tribes  or  nations  called  Turks  or 
Turkmans. 

In  the  tenth  century,  the  empire  of  the  Saracens,  broken  in- 
to fragments,  began  to  decline  and  was  succeeded  by  the  empire 
of  the  Turks  under  the  Seljukian  dynasty. 

The  greatness  and  unity  of  the  first  Turkish  empire  expired 
in  the  person  of  Malek  Shah.  His  vacant  throne  was  disputed 
by  his  brother  and  his  four  sons,  and  after  a  series  of  civil  wars, 
the  treaty  which  reconciled  the  surviving  candidates,  confirmed 
a  lasting  separation  in  the  Persian  dynasty — the  eldest  and  prin- 
cipal branch  of  the  house  of  Seljuk.  The  three  younger  dynas- 
ties were  those  of  Kerman,  of  Syria,  and  of  Rorem.  (Gibbon, 
chap.  57.)  About  the  time  that  the  Turkish  empire  was  thus 
divided,  the  Crusades  began  and  the  power  of  the  Turks  was 
kept  under  restraint  by  those  immense  armies  which  Latin  Eu- 
rope poured  forth  upon  Asia,  for  the  purpose  of  rescuing  Jeru- 
salem and  the  Holy  Land  from  the  Turks.  And  as  the  Crusades 
begun  to  decline,  the  Moguls  and  Tartars  from  an  opposite 
quarter,  under  Zengis  Khan  and  his  successors,  served  to  keep 
in  check  the  Turkish  powers.  When,  however,  in  the  thirteenth 
century,  the  Crusades  of  the  Latins  ceased  and  the  empire  of 
the  Moguls  lost  its  unity  and  vigor,  the  Turks  who  were 
divided  and  bound  in  the  presence  of  the  Greek  nation,  were 
left  free  to  re-establish  their  empire  in  unity  and  vigor,  and  to 
assail  and  exterminate  the  idolatrous  Christians.  The  ceasing 
of  the  Crusades  and  the  decline  of  the  Mogul  power,  gave  free 
scope  to  the  rise  and  progress  of  the  Ottoman  Turkish  empire. 
Thus  the  Turks,  who  were  seated  in  proximity  to  the  Greeks 
with  their  power  at  first  divided  between  four  different  dynas- 
ties, were  confined  and  restrained  on  the  one  side  by  the  Latin 
Crusades,  and  on  the  other,  by  the  invasions ,  and  power  of  the 
Moguls  and  Tartars,  until  in  the  fourteenth  century,  the  Turk- 
ish empire  rose  again  in  renewed  unity  and  vigor  under  the  Ot- 
toman dynasty. 

These   divided   Turks   represented   by  the   four  angels,  are 


65 

declared  to  be  prepared  at  an  hour  and  day  and  month  and 
year,  to  slay  the  third  part  of  men.  They  were  ready  at  any 
time — at  a  moments  warning — they  were  impatient  to  be  let 
loose  upon  the  Romans,  that  they  might  kill  and  exterminate 
idolatry  from  among  them.  The  Turkish  leaders  were  prepared 
to  assail  the  Romans,  the  moment  that  the  obstacles  in  their 
way  were  removed  and  they  were  left  free  to  pursue  the  course 
of  conquest.  They  were  ready  and  eager  to  execute  this  covet- 
ed work,  at  or  for  any  time — any  hour  or  day  or  month  or  year 
— they  were  only  waiting  for  the  time  which  was  to  free  them 
from  restraint. 

The  Turks  were  more  impatient  and  enthusiastic  to  extermi- 
nate Christian  dogs  and  idolaters,  and  they  were  less  tolerant  to 
the  religion  of  the  Christians,  than  were  the  original  Mahome- 
tans. 

It  was  not,  however,  until  the  Turks,  under  the  Seljukian 
dynasty,  had  followed  the  common  law  of  the  Asiatic  dynasties 
and  had  gone  the  unceasing  round  of  valour,  greatness,  discord, 
degeneracy  and  decay,  that  their  power  was  again  united  under 
the  Ottoman  Sultans  and  found  equal  to  the  propagation  of  their 
religion  by  war  and  conquest. 

These  Turks  are  represented  as  an  immense  army  of  horse- 
men. And  the  number  of  the  army  of  horsemen  were  two 
hundred  thousand  thousand,  (two  myriads  of  myriads)  and  I 
heard  the  number  of  them.  When  Mahmud,  a  Turkish  Sultan, 
inquired  of  one  of  his  chiefs  of  the  race  of  Seljuk,  what  supply 
of  men  he  could  furnish  for  military  service,  the  reply  of  the 
chief  was :  "  If  you  send  one  of  these  arrows  into  our  camp, 
fifty  thousand  of  your  servants  will  mount  on  horseback." 
"  And  if  that  number"  continued  Mahmud,  "  should  not  be  suf- 
ficient ?"  "  Send,"  replies  the  chief,  "  this  second  arrow  to  the 
horde  of  Balik  and  you  will  find  fifty  thousand  more."  "  But," 
continued  the  Sultan,  "if  I  should  stand  in  need  of  the  whole 
force  of  your  kindred  tribes  ?"  "  Despatch  my  bow,"  was  the 
last  reply  of  the  Seljukian  chief,  "  and  as  it  is  circulated  around, 


66 

the  summons  will  be  obeyed  by  two  hundred  thousand  horse." 
These  Seljukian  Turks  (afterwards  collected  into  an  army  of 
conquerors  under  Toquil,  the  grandson  of  Seljuk,)  began  about 
the  eleventh  century,  to  be  formidable  to  the  Greek  empire. 

In  the  middle  of  the  eleventh  century,  the  Greeks  were  sud- 
denly assaulted  by  this  unknown  race  of  barbarians,  who  united 
the  Scythian  valour  with  the  fanaticism  of  new  proselytes  to 
Mahommed,  and  the  art  and  riches  of  a  powerful  monarchy. 
"  The  myriads,"  (says  the  historian,)  "  of  Turkish  horse,  over- 
spread a  frontier  of  six  hundred  miles  from  Taurus  to  Arzeorum, 
and  the  blood  of  thirteen  thousand  Christians  was  a  grateful 
sacrifice  to  the  Arabian  prophet.  Yet  the  arms  of  Togrul  did 
not  make  any  deep  or  lasting  impression  on  the  Greek  empire. 
European  battles,  until  the  time  of  Napoleon,  were  but  petty 
skirmishes  if  compared  to  the  numbers  that  have  fought  and 
fallen  in  the  battles  of  Asia.  Seven  hundred  thousand  Moguls 
and  Tartars  are  said  to  have  marched  under  the  standard  of  Zen- 
gis  and  his  sons.  In  certain  vast  plains  of  Asia,  they  were  en- 
countered by  the  Turkish  Sultan,  with  an  army  of  four  hundred 
thousand  soldiers,  and  in  the  battle  of  the  first  day,  there  were 
slain  one  hundred  and  sixty  thousand  on  the  part  of  the  Turks. 
Nearly  two  centuries  after  Zengis,  Tamerlane,  another  Mogul 
emperor,  encountered  the  Turkish  power  under  Bajacet.  Eight 
hundred  thousand  men  were  enrolled  on  the  military  list  of 
Tamerlane,  while  Bajacet  had  collected  a  force  of  four  hundred 
thousand,  horse  and  foot. 

Verse  17.  "  And  thus  I  saw  the  horses  in  the  vision  and  them 
that  sat  on  them,  having  breast-plates  of  fire  and  of  jacinth  and 
brimstone — having  their  breasts,  their  human  feelings  fortified 
by  a  persecuting,  fanatical  and  angry  spirit.  The  heads  of  the 
horses  were  as  the  heads  of  lions  to  denote  the  despotic  and 
fierce  character  of  their  dominion.  Out  of  their  mouths  issued 
fire  and  smoke  and  brimstone.  By  these  three  was  the  third 
part  of  men  killed  by  the  fire  and  by  the  smoke  and  by  the  brim- 
stone which  issued  out  of  their  mouths — they  breathed  forth  a 


67 

most  destructive  spirit  of  persecution,  fanaticism  and  vindictive- 
ness.  The  flame  of  bitter  and  angry  opposition  to  idolatry  burnt 
in  them  with  a  most  fierce  and  destructive  rage,  and  proved  fatal 
to  the  religion  of  those  Romans  who  came  in  contact  with  it. 
The  extremely  hostile  spirit  which  these  Turks  breathed  towards 
the  conquered  Christians,  are  evinced  in  the  expedients  to  which 
they  resorted  for  the  purpose  of  obtaining  soldiers.  "  The  con- 
quered Christian  provinces  became  the  perpetual  seminary  of  the 
Turkish  army.  At  first  the  royal  fifth  of  the  Christian  captives 
was  taken  for  this  purpose,  and  when  this  number  was  dimin- 
ished by  the  less  frequency  of  conquests,  an  inhuman  tax  of  the 
fifth  child  or  of  every  fifth  year,  was  rigorously  levied  on  the 
Christian  families."  At  the  age  of  twelve  or  fourteen  years, 
the  most  robust  youths  were  torn  from  their  parents,  and  from 
that  moment,  were  clothed,  taught  and  maintained  for  the  pub- 
lic service.  The  Janizaries,  those  formidable  Turkish  soldiers, 
consisted  at  first  of  Christian  youths  who  had  been  educated  in 
the  Turkish  religion  and  arms.  Their  Turkish  education  so 
killed  in  them  all  feeling  of  regard  to  the  religion  of  their 
countrymen,  that  they  fought  against  them  with  all  the  zeal  of 
proselytes.  Indeed,  wherever  the  Turkish  spirit  and  influence 
came  in  contact  with  Roman  Christianity,  it  proved  highly  de- 
structive to  the  latter. 

These  idolatrous  Christians  were  unable  to  maintain  their  re- 
ligion against  the  perpetual  insults  of  their  persecuting,  fanatical 
and  incensed  victors,  nor  could  they  stem  that  torrent  of  barba- 
rism and  ignorance  which  rushed  in  with  the  triumphant  arms 
of  the  Turks  and  overspread  Greece  with  a  fatal  rapidity.  The 
Turks  did  not  altogether  prohibit  the  public  exercise  of  the 
Christian  worship,  yet  such  was  the  deadly  influence  of  their 
hostility  towards  it,  that  many  Christians  were  overcome  by  it 
and  became  converts  to  the  religion  of  their  conquerors. 

And  hence,  those  who  retained  the  possession  of  Christianity 
had  the  mortification  of  seeing  their  friends  and  kindred  apos- 
tatise to  Mahomedan  imposture. 


68 

A  large  proportion  of  Christians,  by  coming  in  contact  with 
the  Turkish  religious  spirit,  and  inhaling  its  influence,  so  fatal 
to  Roman  religious  life,  died  to  their  former  religious  profession 
and  sympathies. 

In  the  19th  verse  it  is  declared  of  these  horses,  that  their 
tails  were  like  unto  serpents  and  had  heads,  and  that  with  them 
-they  do  hurt.  Their  power  to  kill  was  in  the  fire,  smoke  and 
brimstone  issuing  from  their  mouths,  but  their  power  to  hurt 
was  in  the  serpent  heads  of  their  tails.  Their  tails  represent 
them  in  their  character  as  teachers  of  imposture. 

The  Turks,  like  the  Saracens,  falsely  taught  a  revelation  from 
God  as  their  authority  and  warrant  for  exterminating  idolatry 
by  the  sword,  while  at  the  same  time  they  rightly  charged  the 
Qreek  and  Latin  Christians  with  this  crime.  And  it  was  this 
imposture,  accompanied  with  this  just  charge  and  the  victorious 
power  of  the  Turks,  which,  as  in  the  case  of  the  Saracens,  so 
much  annoyed  these  Roman  Christians.  It  must  be  noticed, 
that  as  the  old  Roman  empire  had  been  perpetuated  by  the 
Greeks,  they  thought  themselves  as  much  entitled  to  the  name 
of  Romans  as  were  the  Latins  or  western  people. 

Verses  20,  21.  And  the  rest  of  the  men  which  were  not 
killed  by  these  plagues,  yet  repented  not  of  the  works  of  their 
hands,  that  they  should  not  worship  devils,  (demons  or  medi- 
ators,) and  idols  of  gold  and  silver,  and  brass,  and  stone,  and 
of  wood,  which  neither  can  see,  nor  hear,  nor  walk.  Neither 
repented  they  of  their  murders,  nor  of  their  sorceries,  nor  of 
their  fornication,  nor  of  their  thefts. 

The  evils  which  the  Saracens  inflicted  upon  these  Christians, 
for  the  declared  purpose  of  chastising  them  for  their  idolatrous 
form  of  worship,  so  far  from  curing  them  of  their  idolatry, 
served  only  to  confirm  and  harden  them  in  it;  so  that  when  the 
Saracen  chastisement  was  coming  to  a  close,  we  find  that  the 
Romans  had  succeeded  to  add  to  the  invocation  of  departed 
saints  the  use  of  images  in  their  religious  worship,  and  to 


establish  such  idolatrous  worship  in  full  public  authority  and 
practice. 

Neither  did  the  chastisement  inflicted  by  the  Turks  have  any 
better  influence  upon  them  than  that  of  the  Saracens.  Hence 
we  find  that  when  the  Turkish  power  began  to  decline  and 
ceased  to  be  formidable,  the  Latin  Christians  had  added  to 
the  worship  of  images  and  of  the  martyrs,  the  worship  of  the* 
elements  in  the  Lord's  supper,  having,  by  a  general  council, 
established  the  doctrine  of  transubstantiation.  According  to 
this  doctrine,  they  fall  down  to  the  elements  in  the  Lord's  sup- 
per, not  merely  as  being  the  divinely  appointed  representatives, 
but  as  being  by  transubstantiation  the  very  body  and  soul  and 
divinity  of  Christ. 

It  may  be  observed,  that  opposing  sects  or  parties,  in  those 
matters  which  are  the  subjects  of  contest  between  each  other, 
invariably  run  into  extremes  and  become  bigotted  and  fanatical. 
Such  was  the  effect  which  the  opposition  of  the  Mahomedan 
party,  both  under  the  Saracens  and  the  Turks,  had  upon  the 
Roman  Christian  party.  Idolatry  was  the  great  subject  of  con- 
test between  the  two  parties,  and  on  this  subject  the  Christian 
party  was  urged  into  the  extreme  of  madness  and  folly.  The 
opposition  of  the  Saracens  and  Turks,  so  far  from  bringing  them 
to  a  sense  of  their  grievous  departure  from  the  pure  worship  of 
primitive  Christianity,  and  inducing  them  to  repent  and  return 
back  to  the  point  whence  they  had  strayed,  only  served  to  urge 
them  on  further  in  their  apostacy.  They  repented  neither  of 
their  demon  and  image  worship,  nor  of  their  murders  in  shedding 
the  blood  of  those  whom  they  called  heretics,  nor  of  their  sor- 
ceries or  cheats  in  working  miracles,  nor  of  their  fornication  or 
licentious  practices ;  nor  of  their  thefts  in  those  exactions  and 
impositions  by  which  they  fraudulently  drew  immense  treasures 
from  the  nations.  These  calamities,  inflicted  by  the  Saracens 
and  Turks  upon  the  Greek  and  Latin  Christians,  were  inflicted 
upon  them  for  their  idolatry.  -  "  As  the  Greek  Churches  were 

7 


70 

"  first  in  the  crime,  so  they  were  likewise  first  in  the  punish- 
"  ment.  At  first  they  were  visited  by  the  plague  of  the  Sara- 
"  cens,  but  this  working  no  change  or  reformation,  they  were 
"again  chastised  by  the  still  greater  plague  of  the  Othmans; 
"  were  partly  overthrown  by  the  former,  but  entirely  ruined 
if  by  the  latter.  What  churches  were  then  remaining  which 
M  were  guilty  of  the  like  idolatry  but  the  western  or  those  in 
"communion  with  Rome?  And  the  western  were  not  at  all 
"  reclaimed  by  the  ruin  of  the  eastern,  but  persisted  still  in  the 
"  worship  of  saints,  and  what  is  more,  the  worship  of  images, 
"  which  neither  can  see,  nor  hear,  nor  walk )  and  the  world  is 
"  witness  to  the  completion  of  this  prophecy  to  this  day." 
(Bishop .  Newton.) 

The  Greek  Roman  idolatry  and  despotism  still  live  and  flourish 
among  the  Russians. 


71      ' 

DISCOURSE  YI. 
Rev.  x.  xi. 

"And  I  saw  another  mighty  angel  come  down  from  heaven  clothed 
with  a  cloud;  and  a  rainbow  was  upon  his  head;  and  his  face 
was  as  it  were  the  sun,  and  his  feet  as  pillars  of  fire.  And  he  had 
in  his  hand  a  little  book  open ;  and  he  set  his  right  foot  upon  the 
sea  and  his  left  foot  upon  the  earth ;  and  cried  with  a  loud  voice, 
as  when  a  lion  roareth ;  and  when  he  had  cried  seven  thunders 
uttered  their  voices ;  and  when  the  seven  thunders  had  uttered  their 
voices  I  was  about  to  write.  And  I  heard  a  voice  from  heaven  saying 
unto  me,  Seal  up  those  things  which  the  seven  thunders  uttered  and 
write  them  not.  And  the  angel  which  I  saw  stand  upon  the  sea  and 
upon  the  earth,  lifted  up  his  hand  to  heaven,  and  sware  by  him  that 
liveth  for  ever,  who  created  heaven  and  the  things  that  therein  are,  and 
the  earth  and  the  things  that  therein  are,  and  the  sea  and  the  things 
which  are  therein,  that  there  should  be  time  no  longer.  But  in  the 
days  of  the  voice  of  the  seventh  angel,  when  he  shall  begin  to  sound  the 
mystery  of  God  should  be  finished,  as  he  hath  declared  to  his  servants 
the  prophets.  And  the  voice  which  I  heard  from  heaven  spake  unto  me 
again  and  said,  Go  take  the  little  book  which  is  open  in  the  hand 
of  the  angel  which  standeth  upon  the  sea  and  upon  the  earth.  And  I 
went  unto  the  angel  and  said  unto  him,  Give  me  the  little  book.  And 
he  said  unto  me,  Take  it,  and  eat  it  up,  and  it  shall  make  thy  belly 
bitter,  but  it  shall  be  in  thy  mouth  sweet  as  honey.  And  I  took  the 
little  book  out  of  the  angel's  hand  and  ate  it  up ;  and  it  was  in  my 
mouth  sweet  as  honey ;  and  as  soon  as  I  had  eaten  it  up  my  belly  was 
bitter.  And  he  said  unto  me,  Thou  must  prophecy  again  before  many 
people,  and  nations,  and  tongues,  and  kings." 

Before  the  seventh  seal  was  opened  we  were  informed  by  a 
kind  of  digression,  that  the  fall  of  Paganism,  as  the  established 
religion,  would  be  attended  with  an  apostacy  among  the  pro- 
fessors of  Roman  Christianity ;  so  now  here,  before  the  sounding 
of  the  seventh  trumpet,  we  have  another  digression  for  the  pur- 
pose of  giving  us  additional  matter  concerning  this  apostacy, 
informing  us  that  the  men  of  the  apostacy  were,  during  a  cer- 
tain period,  to  domineer  over  the  worship  and  polity  of  the 
Christian  Church ;  and  that  during  this  period  they  would  not 
only  be  annoyed  for  their  idolatry  by  the  Saracens  and  Turks, 


*     72 

but  also  by  some  form  of  protestation  and  opposition  existing 
among  themselves.  Both  St.  Paul  and  Daniel  have  made  this 
apostacy  a  subject  of  distinct  prediction.  Daniel  has  repeatedly 
mentioned  the  period  of  one  thousand  two  hundred  and  sixty 
years,  during  which  it  was  to  prevail  an  overbearing  corporate 
period.  As  this  apostacy  had  been  so  distinctly  foretold  by 
Daniel,  as  well  as  by  St.  Paul,  it  is  no  doubt  for  this  reason 
represented  in  this  vision  of  St.  John,  as  contained  in  a  little 
book  open. 

This  little  book  open  is  seen  in  the  hand  of  a  mighty  angel 
that  had  come  down  from,  heaven,  with  a  cloud  about  him — a 
rainbow  above  him — his  face  shining  as  the  sun,  and  his  feet 
like  pillars  of  fire.  This  angel  represents  Christ,  as  we  learn 
from  the  third  verse  in  the  next  chapter.  The  cloud  and  rain- 
bow above  it  represents  his  fidelity  to  his  word  and  promise ;  the 
sun  his  glory  and  majesty;  his  feet  represent  his  ways  or  course 
of  conduct ;  while  the  fiery  color  of  his  feet  intimate  that  his 
conduct  or  ways  were  now  to  be  of  a  punitive  character.  He 
sets  one  foot  upon  the  earth  or  land,  that  we  may  understand 
that  the  whole  population  of  the  earth  are  subject  to  his  power 
and  judgment. 

And  when  he  cries  with  a  loud  voice,  as  the  roaring  of  a  lion, 
and  the  voices  of  seven  thunders  follow,  we  are  to  understand 
that  he  is  displeased  and  intends  to  execute  judgment  upon  those 
who  had  apostatised  from  a  pure  Christianity.  What  was  the 
nature  of  the  displeasure,  or  judgments,  or  contents,  which  the 
seven  thunders  uttered,  we  are  not  informed,  for  the  apostle  was 
commanded  by  a  voice  from  heaven,  "  Seal  up  those  things  which 
the  seven  thunders  uttered  and  write  them  not." 

The  apostle  then  sees  the  angel  who  stands  upon  the  sea  and 
upon  the  land,  lift  up  his  hand  to  heaven  and  swear  by  him  that 
liveth  forever  and  ever,  the  creator  of  heaven  and  earth  and  sea 
and  all  things  in  them,  that  the  time  for  putting  an  end  to  the 
apostacy  and  for  finishing  the  mystery  of  God  should  constitute 
the  first  part  of  the  period  comprehended  in  the  seventh  trum- 


73 

pet.  It  was  a  subject  of  wonder  to  Daniel,  that  under  the  dis- 
pensation of  the  Messiah,  God  should  allow  revealed  religion  to 
be  corrupted  and  oppressed  for  so  long  a  period.  The  circum- 
stances of  affliction  and  degradation  in  which  the  true  religion 
was  to  be  found  during  this  period,  are  termed  by  the  prophet 
Daniel,  wonders — things  strange  and  mysterious.  And  he  heard 
an  angel  standing  on  the  waters  of  the  river  and  holding  up  both 
his  hands  to  heaven,  swear  by  him  that  liveth  forever  and  ever, 
that  this  period  of  wonders — this  period  of  the  mystery  or 
strange  things  of  God,  should  be  a  period  of  one  thousand  two 
hundred  and  sixty  years,  and  that  the  power  of  the  people  of 
God  ceasing  at  the  end  of  this  period  to  be  scattered  or  divided, 
all  the  desirous  things  which  God  had  promised  in  relation  to 
his  kingdom  or  church,  would  then  be  in  a  course  of  comple- 
tion. 

So  here  Christ  in  the  form  of  a  mighty  angel  with  one  foot 
upon  the  water  and  another  upon  the  land,  and  having  in  his 
hand  a  little  open  book  as  relating  to  the  apostacy  already  made 
known,  raises  his  hands  to  heaven  and  swears  by  the  Creator  of 
all  things  who  liveth  forever,  that  the  time  that  is,  the  predicted 
one  thousand  two  hundred  and  sixty  years  of  the  apostacy, 
should  expire  before  the  seventh  angel  began  to  sound,  and  that 
as  soon  as  this  angel  began  to  sound,  should  begin  the  judgment 
of  God  for  the  extermination  of  the  apostacy,  and  for  the  intro- 
duction of  a  glorious  period  of  blessedness,  as  he  had  promised 
to  his  servants  the  prophets. 

As  this  strange,  domineering  apostacy  of  one  thousand  two 
hundred  and  sixty  years  had  before  been  made  known  and  was 
contained  in  the  Sacred  Scriptures,  this  is  the  reason  why  the 
little  book  as  containing  this  knowledge  is  represented  to  be  open 
— not  sealed.  And  if  we  suppose  this  little  open  book  to  be 
symbolic  of  knowledge  before  published  concerning  a  tyrannical 
apostacy  of  one  thousand  two  hundred  and  sixty  years  and  a 
subsequent  period  of  blessedness,  we  may  understand  why  the 

7* 


74 

angel  should  lift  up  his  hand  with  this  book  in  it  and  swear  as 
he  did,  concerning  the  certainty  of  the  ending  of  these  one 
thousand  two  hundred  and  sixty  years  and  the'  finishing  of  the 
mystery  of  God. 

And  further  supposing  that  this  little  open  book  was  symbolic 
of  previous  revelations  concerning  this  long,  deplorable  period 
of  the  apostacy,  we  may  perceive  the  meaning  and  force  of  the 
following  circumstances  related  by  the  apostle  in  reference  to 
himself.  He  was  commanded  by  a  voice  from  heaven  to  take 
the  book  out  of  the  hand  of  the  angel  and  to  eat  it  up,  and 
while  eating  it,  it  was  in  his  mouth  sweet  as  honey,  but  as  soon 
as  he  had  eaten  it  his  stomach  became  bitter. 

It  was  pleasant  as  an  object  of  curiosity  to  know  and  under- 
stand rightly  what  God  had  foretold  by  his  prophets  in  relation 
to  the  future  history  of  true  religion,  but  if  this  knowledge  was 
pleasant  as  it  was  entering  into  the  mind,  it  had  a  contrary  effect 
after  it  had  once  entered.  It  was  a  bitter  reflection  that  for  so 
long  a  period  the  religion  of  heaven  should  be  in  the  hands  of 
its  perverse  corrupters,  while  those  who  professed  and  main- 
tained it  in  its  primitive  simplicity,  should  be  objects  of  perse- 
cution and  oppression.  This  indeed,  was  bitter  knowledge  to 
those  who  lived  thousands  of  years  ago,  but  it  need  not  be  so 
bitter  to  us  who  know  that  the  greater  part  of  this  deplorable 
period  has  passed  away. 

After  the  apostle  had  eaten  the  little  book  and  found  it  bitter 
to  digest,  the  angel  who  had  given  him  the  little  book,  after 
telling  him  that  he,  the  apostle,  must  yet  prophecy  before  or 
concerning  many  people  and  nations  and  tongues  and  kings,  pro- 
ceeds to  give  him  more  particular  information  concerning  these 
bitter  things — this  deplorable  period.  And  this  information  we 
have  in  the  next  chapter. 

Eev.  xi.,  1-2.  "And  there  was  given  me  a  reed  like  unto  a 
rod,  and  the  angel  stood,  saying,  rise  and  measure  the  temple  of 
God  and  the  altar  and  them  that  worship  therein.     But  the 


75 

court  which  is  without  the  temple  leave  out  and  measure  it  not, 
for  it  is  given  unto  the  gentiles,  and  the  holy  city  shall  they 
tread  under  foot  forty  and  two  months." 

The  temple  and  the  altar  and  them  that  worship  therein,  re- 
present internal  worship  and  worshippers,  while  the  court  with- 
out the  temple  represents  external  worship. 

The  temple  and  the  altar  and  the  worshippers  therein  are 
measured,  to  signify  that  the  worship  and  character  of  these 
internal  worshippers  would  correspond  with  the  internal  or 
spiritual  worship  prescribed  by  the  word  and  commandments  of 
God,  and  bear  measurement  or  inspection  accordingly.  The 
court  without  is  left  out  and  not  measured,  being  given  to  the 
Gentiles,  to  signify  that  the  external  worship  of  the  Church 
would  not  bear  the  measurement  or  inspection  of  the  word  and 
commandment  of  God  and  would  be  in  the  power  and  possession 
of  idolaters  who  are  here  termed  Gentiles  or  heathen.  And  not 
only  is  the  outer  court  to  them,  but  the  holy  city  they  are  to 
tread  under  foot  for  a  given  time.  The  holy  city  with  its  streets, 
represents  ecclesiastical  polity  with  its  laws  and  ordinances. 
The  polity  of  the  Christian  church  will  be  in  the  possession  of 
these  idolaters  and  subject  to  their  degrading  rule  and  control 
for  the  time  specified — forty-two  months  of  years — that  is,  one 
thousand  two  hundred  and  sixty  years,  and  during  this  period 
there  is  to  be  a  succession  of  extraordinary  teachers  to  protest 
against  the  worship  and  innovations  of  these  idolatrous  Chris- 
tians. 

Verses  3  and  4.  "  And  I  will  give  power  unto  my  two  wit- 
nesses, and  they  shall  prophecy  a  thousand  two  hundred  and 
three  score  days,  clothed  in  sackcloth."  These  are  the  two 
olive  trees  and  the  two  candlesticks,  standing  before  the  God  of 
the  earth,  (Judea — the  holy  land.) 

In  the  time  of  Ahab  the  great  majority  of  the  ten  tribes  had 
fallen  away  into  an  idolatrous  worship,  yet  there  was  a  small 
minority  or  remnant  of  seven  thousand  men  who  had  not  bowed 
the  knee  to  the  image  of  Baal,  and  besides  this  minority,  there 


76 

was  also  a  prophet  left  who  protested  against  the  prevailing  idol- 
atry— namely,  Elijah,  the  Tishbite,  the  Reformer.  So,  under  the 
apostacy  of  the  Roman  Christians,  there  is  left  a  small  remnant 
or  minority  of  one  hundred  and  forty-four  thousand  of  pure 
worshippers,  with  two  prophets,  to  protest  or  witness  for  Christ, 
against  those  who  had  fallen  away  from  him,  by  invoking  other 
mediators  beside  himself. 

Under  the  old  dispensation,  when  the  majority  of  the  nation 
had  gone  astray  from  the  authorized  worship  of  God,  there 
appeared  extraordinary  teachers  called  prophets,  who  made  it 
their  business  to  reclaim  their  countrymen  from  their  idolatry. 
The  priests  were  the  regular  teachers  and  ministers  while  the 
prophetic  office  was  intended  for  peculiar  occasions  and  purposes. 
Their  office  was  not  confined  to  the  prediction  of  future  events, 
it  was  their  province  to  instruct  the  people  in  the  word  of  God 
and  especially  to  expose  their  departures  from  it,  and  to  reclaim 
and  reform  them.  They  were  the  bulwarks  of  the  old  religion 
against  the  innovations  and  tyranny  of  the  civil  magistrate,  as 
well  as  against  the  corruption  and  idolatry  of  the  priests  and 
people.  Their  office  was  that  of  protestants  and  reformers.  By 
these  prophets  God  had  protested  unto  the  nation  of  Israel  from 
the  time  of  their  deliverance  from  Egypt — rising  up  early  and 
protesting,  saying  obey  my  yoice.  (Jer.  ii.  7.)  The  prophets 
were  the  witnesses  of  God  in  this  sense,  that  they  faithfully 
declared  His  displeasure  and  threatenings  against  the  impiety 
and  idolatry  of  their  countrymen.  And  hence  it  was  necessary, 
that  they  should  be  men  of  a  bold  and  courageous  spirit,  who 
would  cry  aloud  and  spare  not ;  who  would  lift  up  their  voice 
like  a  trumpet  and  shew  the  people  their  transgressions  and  the 
house  of  Jacob  their  sins. 

Behold,  says  God  to  the  prophet  Ezekiel,  I  have  made  thy 
face  strong  against  their  faces  and  thy  forehead  strong  against 
their  forehead.  As  an  adamant  harder  than  flint  have  I  made 
thy  forehead,  fear  them  not,  neither  be  dismayed  at  their  looks, 
though  they  be  a  rebellious  house. 


77 

After  the  separation  of  the  ten  tribes,  (in  the  reign  of  Reho- 
boam,)  from  the  two  tribes  of  Judah  and  Benjamin,  there  was 
a  succession  of  prophets  kept  up  in  each  of  these  two  kingdoms ; 
one  in  the  kingdom  of  Judah,  and  another  in  the  kingdom  of 
Israel. 

According  to  this  prediction  of  St.  John,  there  is  something 
corresponding  to  these  two  successions  of  protestors  and  re- 
formers, to  occur  in  the  Christian  Church  during  the  long 
apostacy  under  consideration. 

The  two  witnesses  of  Christ — the  two  protestant  teachers  of 
Christianity,  evidently  signify,  there  would  be  in  the  Christian 
Church,  a  succession  of  bold  and  courageous  spirits,  who  would 
protest  against  the  prevailing  apostacy,  and  preach  up  the 
necessity  of  reformation. 

This  succession  of  men  is  represented  to  be  two-fold,  because 
their  testimony  will  be  two-fold;  they  will  set  forth  the  revela- 
tion and  protestation  of  God  against  the  idolatrous  innovators, 
both  under  the  law  and  under  the  gospel.  Both  the  law  and 
the  gospel  reveal  Christ  as  the  only  mediator,  the  only  inter- 
cessor, who,  by  his  sacrifice  and  merits,  can  secure  favour  for 
us  in  heaven.  One  great  error  of  the  ancient  heathen  nations, 
was,  that  they  had  a  great  number  of  deceased  men,  whom  they 
invoked  for  their  influence  and  aid,  under  the  notion,  that  they 
had,  after  their  death,  been  promoted  to  the  office  of  mediators 
or  intercessors  between  men  and  the  celestial  gods.  The  testi- 
mony of  God  concerning  Christ,  both  under  the  law  and  under 
the  gospel,  is  that  there  is  only  one  such  mediator  between  God 
and  men — the  man  Christ  Jesus.  And  it  is  this  testimony — 
this  protestation  of  God,  which  these  teachers  will  expose  and 
hold  up  during  the  apostacy.  Hence  they  are  compared  to  the 
two  olive  trees  and  the  two  candlesticks,  standing  before  the 
God  of  the  earth — or  of  the  holy  land. 

The  prophet  Zechariah,  who,  like  St.  John,  was  once  in  a 
vision,  commanded  to  measure  the  temple,  also  speaks  of  two 


78 

olive  trees  emptying  their  oil  into  a  golden  candlestick  with 
seven  lamps. 

A  candlestick  with  seven  lamps  was  a  part  of  the  furniture 
of  the  tabernacle  or  temple.  This  candlestick  was  placed  in 
the  holy  place  or  outer  sanctuary,  and  was  to  be  kept  burning 
during  the  night. 

When  Zechariah  asked  the  meaning  of  these  two  olive  trees, 
he  was  answered,  these  are  the  two  anointed  ones — or  sons  of 
oil.  The  oil  i  the  symbol  of  divinely  revealed  truth  or  know- 
ledge. When  the  knowledge  is  published  and  diffused,  it 
becomes  light.  The  meaning,  therefore,  is  that  the  teachers 
whom  these  two  prophets  represent,  will  not  only  possess  among 
themselves,  divinely  revealed  knowledge,  but  that  they  will 
also  hold  it  up  to  notice,  and  diffuse  and  publish  it.  They  are 
Baid  to  stand  by,  or  near  to  the  God  of  the  earth — like  the  can- 
dlestick of  the  temple  stood  near  to  the  mercy  seat  of  God,  and 
by  its  light  showed  the  way  of  access  to  the  place  of  mercy. 
So  these  two  prophets  will  serve  to  hold  up  and  diffuse  divinely 
revealed  knowledge,  concerning  the  way  of  approaching  God, 
for  the  purpose  of  obtaining  pardon  and  grace,  and  finding  help 
in  time  of  need,  through  the  blood  and  merits  of  an  only 
mediator — the  man  Christ  Jesus.  They  prophecy  in  sackcloth 
during  these  twelve  hundred  and  sixty  years,  and  this  habit  of 
mourning  and  humiliation,  is  intended  to  indicate  the  grievous 
apostacy  of  professed  Christians,  and  the  deplorable  state  of  the 
Christian  Church  during  the  period  of  their  protestant  teaching. 

Verse  5.  u  And  if  any  man  will  hurt  them,  fire  proceedeth 
out  of  their  mouth,  and  devoureth  their  enemies  :  and  if  any 
man  will  hurt  them,  he  must  in  this  manner  be  killed." 

We  are  to  understand  these  words  in  the  same  sense  in  which 
we  understand  the  prediction  of  Isaiah,  concerning  the  preaching 
of  our  Blessed  Lord — that  he  should  slay  the  wicked  with  the 
breath  of  his  lips,  or  as  St.  Paul  has  it,  consume  them  with  the 
spirit  (doctrine)  of  his  mouth — that  is,  he  would  slay  and  con- 


79 

sume  them  intellectually,  by  the  force  of  truth — that  he  would 
speak  with  a  wisdom  and  spirit,  which  his  enemies  would  not  be 
able  to  resist.  And  it  is  in  this  sense  that  these  two  prophets 
will  slay  and  consume  their  enemies  by  the  fire  or  spirit  of  their 
mouth.  The  divinely  revealed  truth  which  they  will  preach 
and  publish,  will  serve  like  fire  to  destroy  and  consume  all 
opposing  argument  and  discourse.  The  truth  proceeding  from 
their  mouth,  when  it  comes  in  contact  with  the  minds  of 
opposers,  and  is  understood  and  felt  by  them  in  its  power  and 
influence,  will  expose  their  error,  and  deaden  and  destroy  in 
them  the  spirit  of  opposition.  It  is  impossible,  that  those 
Christians  who  have  departed  from  a  pure  worship  into  idola- 
trous innovations,  should  continue  their  confidence  in  those 
innovations,  when  they  are  once  brought  to  see  and  understand 
the  truth  concerning  them,  as  it  is  exposed  in  holy  scripture, 
unless  their  minds  have  become  reprobate  by  party  mania. 

Verse  6.  "  These  have  power  to  shut  heaven,  that  it  rain  not 
in  the  days  of  their  prophecy  :  and  have  power  over  waters  to 
turn  them  to  blood,  and  to  smite  the  earth  with  all  plagues  as 
often  as  they  will." 

We  must  understand  these  words  as  we  do  the  words  of  God 
to  the  prophet  Jeremiah,  when  he  gave  him  his  prophetic  com- 
mission. "  See,  I  have  this  day  set  thee  over  the  nations  and 
over  the  kingdoms,  to  root  out,  and  to  pull  down,  and  to  destroy, 
and  to  throw  down,  and  to  build,  and  to  plant."  Jeremiah,  in 
these  words,  was  merely  authorized  to  foretell  or  declare,  the 
putting  down  and  setting  up,  the  downfall  and  use  of  these 
nations  and  kingdoms.  He  was  to  have  no  other  agency  in 
these  events  than  in  foretelling  them.  So  when  Ezekiel  speaks 
of  his  being  sent  to  destroy  Jerusalem,  he  means  his  mission  to 
prophecy  that  the  city  should  be  destroyed.  When  Christ  gave 
his  apostles  authority  to  remit  sins,  the  words  mean  no  more 
than  he  gave  them  official  authority  to  declare  and  pronounce 
sin  remitted,  according  to  the  terms  of  the  gospel.  Thus  these 
witnesses  have  power  to  declare  and  foretell  the  shutting  of 


80 

heaven,  that  it  rain  not  during  the  days  (twelve  hundred  and 
sixty,)  of  their  prophecy.  As  in  the  days  of  Elijah,  there  was 
a  dearth  of  three  and  a-half  years  or  twelve  hundred  and  sixty 
days,  so  during  these  twelve  hundred  and  sixty  years,  the  Roman 
Christians  will  suffer  under  the  effects  of  a  moral  dearth.  My 
doctrine,  says  Moses,  shall  drop  as  the  rain,  my  speech  shall 
distil  as  the  dew — as  the  small  rain  upon  the  tender  herh,  and 
as  the  showers  upon  the  grass.  The  doctrine  of  Christ  (the 
living  water,)  will  become  scarce  in  these  days  for  the  want  of 
being  published  and  diffused  by  discourse,  so  that  it  will  not  be 
until  after  these  days,  that  the  knowledge  of  the  Lord  will 
descend  in  copious  showers,  and  becoming  diffused  by  discourses 
or  preaching,  cover  the  earth  as  the  waters  cover  the  sea. 
These  witnesses  will  expose  and  hold  up  to  notice,  the  divine 
prediction,  concerning  this  long  moral  dearth.  They  have  also 
power  to  declare  or  foretell  the  turning  of  the  waters  into 
blood — that  is,  it  will  be  a  part  of  their  mission,  to  publish  that 
the  nations  in  communion  with  the  Romans,  are  destined  to 
turn  against  them,  and  that  they,  the  Romans,  are  to  be  smitten 
with  all  plagues,  and  these  prophets  are  to  exercise  this  power 
of  declaring  and  foretelling  these  things,  as  often  as  they  will — 
that  is,  as  often  as  their  zeal  for  the  cause  of  Christ  and  revealed 
truth  should  stir  them  up  to  energy  and  action. 

Verse  7th.  "  And  when  they  shall  have  finished  their  testi- 
mony, the  beast  that  ascendeth  out  of  the  bottomless  pit,  shall 
make  war  against  them,  and  shall  overcome  them  and  kill 
them." 

The  beast  that  ascendeth  out  of  the  bottomless  pit,  (more 
literally  out  of  the  abyss  or  deep,)  is  here  merely  noticed,  and 
is  left  to  be  more  fully  described  in  a  subsequent  vision.  The 
beast  represents,  (as  we  shall  show  hereafter,)  the  corporation 
or  body  of  men,  which  we  may  term  the  Latin  Catholic  Corpora- 
tion or  Church,  as  distinguished  from  the  Greek  Catholic  Cor- 
poration or  Church.  This  corporation  of  men  will  enter  into  a 
war  of  controversy  with  these  two  witnesses,  and  in  this  war  or 


81 

controversy,  will  succeed  in  overcoming  them,  and  killing  them. 
Wl i other  these  two  witnesses  represent  a  succession  of  protestant 
Christian  teachers,  or  a  succession  of  Christian  communities 
protesting  publicly  against  the  errors  of  the  Roman  Catholic 
Church,  the  overcoming  and  killing  them,  represent  the  tem- 
porary suspension  of  protestant  public  teaching.  If  we  should 
say,  that  this  corporation  will  succeed  in  extinguishing  the  pro- 
testant public  spirit  in  the  Roman  world,  rendering  it  dead  and 
inactive  for  a  time,  we  should  express  the  true  meaning  of  the 
words  of  St.  John. 

Verse  8th.  "And  their  dead  bodies  shall  lie  in  the  streets 
of  the  great  city,  which  spiritually  is  called  Sodom  and  Egypt, 
where  also  our  Lord  was  crucified." 

The  great  city,  here  means  Rome-,  and  (to  conceal  the  name,) 
is  elsewhere  in  the  book,  called  Babylon.  Babylon  means 
Rome,  in  a  mystical  or  concealed  sense.  Rome  is  here  called, 
spiritually,  or  in  the  scriptural  use  and  sense  of  the  words, 
Sodom — on  account  of  her  loose  morals.  Egypt,  on  account, 
of  her  cruel  persecution  and  oppression  of  the  people  of  God  ; 
and  Jerusalem,  that  crucified  Christ,  because  while  professing 
the  true  religion,  there  is  found  in  her  the  blood  of  saints  and 
prophets.  The  city  means  Rome,  in  respect  to  its  great  polity. 
The  street  of  this  great  city,  means  some  law  of  Roman  polity ; 
a  path  or  way,  signifies  in  scripture,  a  precept,  or  commandment, 
or  law.  One  of  the  mbst  ancient  laws  of  Rome,  as  quoted  by 
Cicero,  (de  Leg.  ii.  8,)  declared  that  no  man  shall  have  separate 
gods  for  himself,  and  no  man  shall  worship  by  himself,  new  or 
foreign  gods,  unless  they  have  been  publicly  acknowledged  by 
the  laws  of  the  state.  According  to  the  Roman  Jurist,  Julius 
Paulus,  (B.  v.  tit.  21,)  it  was  a  leading  principle  of  Roman 
law,  that  those  who  introduced  new  religions,  or  such  as  were 
unknown  in  their  tendency  and  nature,  by  which  the  minds  of 
men  might  be  agitated,  were  degraded,  if  they  belonged  to  the 
higher  ranks,  and  if  they  were  in  a  lower  state,  were  punished 
with  death.     From  Levi,  we  learn,  that  in  the  early  ages  of  the 


82 

republic,  the  magistrates  were  empowered  to  prevent  all  foreign 
worship — to  expel  its  ministers  from  the  forum,  the  circus,  and 
the  city,  to  search  for,  and  burn  the  religious  books,  and  to 
abolish  every  form  of  sacrifice,  except  the  national  and  estab- 
lished form.  The  Christian  emperors,  as  early  as  Honorius, 
acted  on  this  principle  of  Roman  polity.  In  the  reign  of 
Honorius,  Jovinian,  for  exposing  the  errors  and  superstitions 
of  raonasticism,  was  condemned  by  a  council  at  Milan,  and 
after  his  condemnation,  the  emperor  issued  the  following  ordi- 
nance. The  complaint  of  some  bishops,  mentions  as  a  griev- 
ance, that  Jovinian  assembles  sacrilegious  meetings  without  the 
walls  of  the  most  holy  city.  Wherefore,  we  ordain,  that  the 
above  mentioned,  be  seized  and  whipped,  together  with  his 
abettors  and  attendants,  and  confined  to  some  place  of  banish- 
ment, and  that  the  machinator  himself,  be  immediately  sent 
away  to  the  island  of  Boa. 

According  to  the  law  of  Moses  if  a  person  was  found  killed 
or  dead,  the  nearest  city  to  the  dead  body  was  held  responsible 
for  the  murder.  Hence  the  dead  bodies  of  these  murdered  pro- 
phets lie  in  the  streets  of  the  great  city,  in  order  to  signify  that 
the  extinction  of  the  public  spirit  of  the  protestants  and  refor- 
mers, will  be  laid  to  the  account  of  some  law  or  principle  of  Ro- 
man polity,  and  perhaps  to  that  law  or  principle  which  as  quoted 
above,  forbids  all  right  of  private  judgment  in  matters  of  reli- 
gion, and  visits  all  opposition  to  the  established  worship  with 
penal  inflictions.  By  whatever  means  the  extinction  of  the 
Protestant,  and  reforming  public  spirit  may  be  brought  about, 
it  is  certain  that  the  extinction  itself  will  be  something,  which 
has  never  yet  occurred  during  the  apostacy.  In  the  next  verses 
we  have  an  account  of  the  manner  in  which  the  dead  bodies  of 
these  prophets  were  treated,  and  of  the  joy  which  their  death 
occasioned  among  their  enemies. 

Verse  9.  "  And  they  of  the  people  and  kindred,  and  tongues 
and  nations,  shall  see  their  dead  bodies  three  days  and  a  half, 
and  shall  not  suffer  their  dead  bodies  to  be  put  in  graves."  They 


83 

of  the  gentiles,  they  of  idolatrous  or  false  religions  in  the  Ro- 
man world,  will  now  regard  and  treat  the  dead  form  or  profession 
of  protestantism,  with  utter  contempt,  and  the  Roman  Christians 
will  rejoice  over  the  extinction  of  its  spirit.  Verse'10.  And 
they  that  dwell  upon  the  earth,  (the  holy  land,)  shall  rejoice 
over  them  and  make  merry,  and  shall  send  gifts  one  to  another ; 
because  these  two  prophets  tormented  them  that  dwelt  upon  the 
earth,  (holy  land.)  Protestantism  as  well  as  Mahomedanism,  have 
much  tormented,  hurt,  and  annoyed  the  professors  of  Roman 
Christianity,  and  we  may  well  suppose  that  when  they  shall  find 
protestantism  in  its  public  spirit  to  be  dead,  they  will  regard  its 
death  as  a  most  joyful  and  happy  event.  Their  rejoicing  how- 
ever will  be  of  short  duration. 

Verse  11-12.  "  And  after  three  days  and  a  half,  the  spirit  of 
life  from  God  entered  into  them,  and  they  stood  upon  their  feet ■ 
and  great  fear  fell  upon  them  which  saw  them.  And  they 
heard  a  great  voice  from  heaven,  saying  unto  them,  come  up 
hither.  And  they  ascended  up  to  heaven  in  a  cloud,  and  their 
enemies  beheld  them."  For  three  years  and  a  half  the  profes- 
sion of  protestantism  will  lie  without  life  and  vigour,  but  at  the 
end  of  this  period  it  will  become  in  some  extraordinary  manner 
animated  by  a  new  spirit,  and  assume  again  an  erect  position, 
and  then  protestantism  both  in  spirit,  and  in  profession,  is  to  as- 
cend to  a  high  position  of  influence  and  honour  in  the  world. 
They  who  witness  for  the  truth  as  it  is  in  Christ,  against  those 
who  have  apostatized  into  an  idolatrous  form  of  Christianity, 
are  destined  in  the  end  to  triumph  over  their  enemies ;  and  their 
profession  and  spirit  to  be  held  in  the  highest  respect,  and  to 
exercise  the  highest  kind  of  authority  and  influence  on  the 
minds  of  men. 

An  earthquake  or  shaking  takes  place  cotemporaneously  with 
the  ascension  of  these  martyrs  into  heaven. 

Verse  13.  "  And  the  same  hour  was  there  a  great  earthquake, 
and  the  tenth  part  of  the  city  fell,  and  in  the  earthquake  were 


84 

slain  of  men,  (or  names  of  men,)  seven  thousand;  and  the 
remnants  were  affrighted  and  gave  glory  to  the  God  of  heaven." 
This  shaking  signjiies  a  political  agitation  or  convulsion— the 
fall  of  the  tenth  part  of  the  city,  portends  that  in  this  convul- 
sion, an  important  part  of  Roman  polity  will  be  abolished ;  the 
slaying  by  the  earthquake,  of  seven  thousand  names  of  men — 
or  men  of  name,  signifies  that  in  this  partial  abolition  or  de- 
struction of  Roman  polity,  Borne  will  lose  the  active  sympathy 
and  aid  of  a  great  number  of  men,  or  worshippers  of  eminence 
and  influence.  These  men  will  lose  the  spirit  of  Romans — they 
will  cease  to  sympathize  with  the  Roman  party.  We  read  that 
the  remnant  of  the  men  of  name,  who  were  not  killed  by  the 
earthquake,  were  affrighted,  and  gave  glory  to  the  God  of 
heaven.  The  remnant  of  the  men  of  eminence  and  influence, 
who  still  maintained  their  Roman  spirit  and  sympathy,  and  do 
not  abandon  the  party,  are  induced,  while  under  the  impulse 
of  fright,  to  acknowledge  the  justice  of  divine  providence  in  the 
symbolical  earthquake  and  its  effects,  and  as  thus  just,  render 
honour  to  God  accordingly. 

We  perceive,  that  the  second  woe  includes  not  only  the  evil 
inflicted  by  the  Turkish  Mahomedans,  but  also  some  evil  of  an 
internal  nature  and  source,  in  some  way  connected  with  pro- 
testantism. 

The  spirit  and  profession  of  protestantism,  both  in  Christian 
teachers  and  in  Christian  communities,  have  existed  for  many 
centuries.  Gibbon,  in  speaking  of  the  sect  who  were  called  the 
disciples  of  St.  Paul,  or  Paulicians,  and  who  arose  in  the  seventh 
century,  says,  "that- the  invincible  spirit  which  they  had  kindled, 
continued  to  live  and  breathe,  down  to  modern  times.  In  the 
State,  in  the  Church,  and  even  in  the  cloister,  a  latent  succes- 
sion was  preserved  of  the  disciples  of  St.  Paul,  who  protested 
against  the  tyranny  of  Rome,  embraced  the  Bible  as  the  rule 
of  faith,  and  purified  their  creed  from  all  the  visions  of  Gnostic 
theology.     The  struggles  of  Wickliff  in  England,  and  of  Huss 


85 

in  Bohemia,  were  premature  and  ineffectual ;  but  the  names  of 
Zuinglius,  Luther,  and  Calvin,  are  pronounced  with  gratitude, 
as  the  deliverers  of  nations." 

As  early  as  the  fifth  century,  in  the  very  beginning  of  the 
apostacy,  when  the  corruptions  of  Christianity  had  not  yet  sub- 
sided into  habit,  we  read  of  a  Spanish  presbyter,  Vigilantius, 
a  man  of  learning,  who  raised  a  voice  of  protestation  against  the 
prayers  addressed  to  departed  saints,  and  to  the  extravagant 
honours  and  worship  which  were  rendered  to  the  martyrs. 

Claudius,  Bishop  of  Turin,  who  was  by  birth  a  Spaniard,  has 
been  termed  the  Protestant  of  the  ninth  century.  He  vigor- 
ously opposed  the  worship  of  images,  and  of  the  wood  of  the 
cross.  "  Wherefore,  says  he,  do  they  not  adore  chaplets  of 
thorns,  because  Christ  was  crowned  with  thorns ;  or  cradles, 
linen,  or  boats,  because  he  made  use  of  them ;  or  spears,  be- 
cause he  was  pierced  with  that  weapon  ?  or  why  they  do  not 
fall  down  to  the  image  of  an  ass,  because  he  rode  on  that  animal. 
Christ  Jesus  did  not  command  us  to  worship  the  cross,  but  to 
bear  it — to  renounce  the  worM  and  ourselves."  While  the 
Mahomedans,  both  Saracens  and  Turks,  from  the  eighth  cen- 
tury down,  have  annoyed  Roman  Christians,  both  Greeks  and 
Latins,  there  have  not  been  wanting  in  every  age,  some  few 
faithful  Christians,  who  dissenting  from  the  majority,  have 
protested  against  their  idolatrous  innovations.  In  the  eighth 
century,  under  the  Greek  emperors,  there  was  a  general  and 
zealous  effort  made,  to  reform  the  Christian  Church  in  the 
Roman  world  of  idolatrous  innovations  and  practices — but  the 
effort  failed,  and  served  only  to  render  Roman  Christians  more 
confirmed  and  determined  in  their  idolatry  and  errors.  And 
such  has  been  the  effect  of  all  protestant  and  reforming  efforts 
made  since.  The  victory  has  been  with  the  idolaters,  and  they 
are  destined  to  overcome  their  opposers  in  a  more  remarkable 
manner  than  they  have  ever  yet  done.  Like  in  the  reign  of 
Dioclesian,  the  idolatrous  party  will  make  one  more  desperate, 
and  for  a  time,  more  successful  effort  against  a  protestant  Chris- 

8* 


86 

tianity,  than  they  have  yet  done.  And  this  persecution  will  be 
the  final  one,  and  will  end  like  that  of  Dioclesian,  in  the  com- 
plete triumph  of  the  persecuted,  for  it  will  be  quickly  followed 
with  the  reign  of  Christ,  in  judgment  upon  these  idolatrous 
Christians;  and  in  the  subsequent  universal  prevalence  of  his 
authority  and  religion.  This  triumph  of  protestantism,  will  end 
the  twelve  hundred  and  sixty  years,  and  the  second  woe. 

"  And  the  second  woe  is  past ;  and  behold,  the  third  woe 
cometh  quickly." 

u  And  the  seventh  angel  sounded ;  and  there  were  great 
voices  in  heaven,  saying,  The  kingdoms  of  this  world,  are  be- 
come the  kingdoms  of  our  Lord,  and  of  his  Christ ;  and  he 
shall  reign  for  ever  and  ever.  And  the  four  and  twenty  elders, 
which  sat  before  God  on  their  seats,  fell  upon  their  faces,  and 
worshipped  God,  saying,  We  give  thee  thanks,  0  Lord  God 
Almighty,  which  art,  and  wast,  and  art  to  come;  because  thou 
hast  taken  to  thee  thy  great  power,  and  hast  reigned.  And 
the  nations  were  angry,  and  thy  wrath  is  come,  and  the  time 
of  the  dead,  that  they  should  be  judged,  and  that  thou  shouldest 
give  reward  to  thy  servants  the  prophets,  and  to  the  saints,  and 
them  that  fear  thy  name,  small  and  great ;  and  shouldest  destroy 
them  that  destroy  the  earth."  - 

The  period  included  in  the  seventh  trumpet,  reaches  from  the 
beginning  of  the  third  woe,  down  beyond  the  general  resurrec- 
tion and  general  judgment,  to  the  introduction  of  a  new  heaven 
and  earth,  from  which  sin  and  death  are  to  be  excluded.  This 
period  of  the  seventh  trumpet  consists  of  several  parts,  the  first 
comprehends  the  third  woe ;  the  second,  the  long  reign  of 
Christianity,  commonly  called  the  millenium,  as  consisting  of  a 
thousand  years ;  third,  the  escape  of  infidel  power  and  opposi- 
tion from  their  long  millenial  restraint ;  while  the  fourth  divi- 
sion, comprehends  the  general  resurrection  and  judgment, 
followed  with  the  everlasting  state  and  kingdom  of  glory.  The 
kingdom  or  reign  of  the  Lord  and  his  Christ,  commences  with 
the  sounding  of  the  seventh  trumpet,  but  it  commences  in  judg- 


87 

merit,  in  the  infliction  of  the  third  woe.  The  third  woe,  how- 
ever, is  not  described,  until  we  are  prepared  for  the  description 
by  the  communication  of  further  information,  concerning  certain 
events,  and  especially  concerning  the  beast  that  was  to  ascend 
out  of  the  abyss  or  deep,  and  overcome,  and  slay  the  two 
witnesses.  -  « 


DISCOURSE     VII. 
Rev.  xi.  19;  xii.  1 — 6. 

"And  the  temple  of  God  was  opened  jn  the  heaven,  and  there  was 
seen  in  his  temple  the  ark  of  his  testament;  and  there  were  lightnings, 
and  voices,  and  thunderings,  and  an  earthquake  and  great  hail. 

"And  there  appeared  a  great  wonder  in  heaven  ;  a  woman  clothed 
with  the  sun  and  the  moon  under  her  feet,  and  upon  her  head  a  crown 
of  twelve  stars ;  and  she,  being  with  child,  cried,- travailing  in  birth  and 
pained  to  be  delivered. 

"And  there  appeared  another  wonder  in  heaven ;  and  behold,  a  great 
red  dragon,  having  seven  heads  and  ten  horns,  and  seven  crowns  upon 
his  head ;  and  his  tail  drew  the  third  part  of  the  stars  of  heaven  and 
did  cast  them  to  the  earth;  and  the  dragon  stood  before  the  woman 
which  was  ready  to  be  delivered  for  to  devour  her  child  as  soon  as  it 
was  born.  And  she  brought  forth  a  man  child,  who  was  to  rule  all 
nations  with  a  rod  of  iron ;  and  her  child  was  caught  up  unto  God  and 
to  his  throne ;  and  the  woman  fled  unto  the  wilderness,  where  she  hath 
a  place  prepared  of  God,  that  they  should  feed  her  there  a  thousand 
two  hundred  and  three  score  years." 

The  last  verse  of  the  eleventh  chapter  ought  to  begin  the 
twelfth  chapter.  The  opening  of  the  temple  or  inner  sanctuary 
in  heaven ;  the  exposing  of  the  ark  of  the  testament,  which  had 
its  residence  there,  and  the  lightings,  and  voices,  and  thunder- 
ings, and  earthquake,  and  great  hail,  intimate  that  the  revelation 
or  vision  about  to  be  communicated,  was  of  an  extraordinary 
character;  exposing  to  notice  judgments  of  God  unsearchable, 
and  ways  of  God  past  finding  out.  Similar  circumstances  of  a 
terrific  nature  occurred  on  the  earth  and  in  the  elements  at  the 
revelation  and  giving  of  the  law  at  Mount  Sinai.     Heaven,  or 


the  high- place  on  which  the  temple  is  situated,  represents  the 
government  or  place  of  power  and  authority — in  the  Roman 
world  the  throne  of  God  in  the  temple  represents  the  place  of 
supreme  sovereign  authority.  They  who  dwell  in  heaven,  or 
have  a  place  there,  represent  those  who  have  office  or  authority 
in  the  government;  while  those  who  dwell  on  the  earth  repre- 
sent those  without  office  and  authority — the  governed  as  dis- 
tinguished from  the  governing.  The  exposure  of  the  ark  seems 
intended  to  intimate  an  exposure  of  the  judgments  and  ways  of 
Divine  providence  in  matters  of  a  sacred  or  religious  nature. 
Accordingly  in  the  new  scene  which  opens  to  the  vision  of  the 
apostle,  we  have  first  presented  to  us  a  symbolic  representation 
of  the  history  of  Christianity,  and  Paganism  particularly,  in 
their  corporate  capacities,  and  in  their  conflict  with  each  other, 
from  the  beginning  of  the  Christian  corporation  at  Jerusalem, 
under  the  government  and  teaching  of  the  twelve  apostles  down 
to  its  obscure  and  desolate  condition  during  the  one  thousand 
two  hundred  and  sixty  years  of  the  apostacy.  This  history  of 
the  conflict  between  Christianity  and  Paganism,  in  their  cor. 
porate  capacities,  is  given  us  under  signs  or  symbols,  which  are 
peculiarly  striking  when  they  are  rightly  understood. 

And  there  appeared  a  great  wonder  (sign,  symbol)  in  heaven ; 
a  woman  clothed  with  the  sun  and  the  moon  under  her  feet,  and 
upon  her  head  a  crown  of  twelve  stars. 

The  woman  is  the  symbol  of  Jerusalem  or  the  Christian 
Church,  (catholic,)  considered  as  a  body  corporate  and  politic. 
Christianity,  in  its  church  or  corporate  character,  began  in  the 
city  of  Jerusalem. 

This  corporation  was  at  first  under  the  chief  government  and 
teaching  of  the  twelve  apostles,  and  this  is  the  reason  why  the 
woman  has  on  her  head  a  crown  of  twelve  stars. 

The  sun  with  which  she  is  clothed,  is  the  revelation  of  Christ, 
and  the  moon  which  is  under  her  feet,  is  the  revelation  of  Moses 
— the  one  being  a  brighter  revelation  than  the  other,  as  the  sun 


89 

is  brighter  than  the  moon;  and  the  one  borrowing  its  light  from 
the  other,  as  the  moon  borroweth  its  light  from  the  sun. 

How  comparatively  obscure  would  be  the  meaning  of  Jewish 
sacrifices  without  the  light  of  Christianity  to  expose  that  mean- 
ing. Before  the  Christian  revelation,  the  Church  had  only  the 
light  of  the  moon — the  sun  had  not  yet  risen  but  was  below  the 
horizon.  The  Church  then  knew  that  the  light  which  she  pos- 
sessed was  borrowed  or  reflected  light,  yet  she  was  expecting 
the  time  when  the  true  light,  which  lighteth  every  man  coming 
into  the  world,  would  appear  above  the  horizon.  The  Christian 
revelation  is  not  only  a  brighter  light  than  the  revelation  of 
Moses,  but  it  is  the  original  light,  of  which  the  latter  is  but  the 
moonlight  reflection.  Now  when  the  sun,  the  original  light, 
appeared  above  the  horizon,  the  moon  became  of  little  use  in 
giving  light,  and  she  lost  her  importance  and  her  glory  by 
reason  of  the  superior  glory  of  the  sun.  As  soon  as  the  sun, 
the  light  of  the  gospel,  appears  above  the  horizon,  the  moon, 
the  light  of  Moses,  sinks  into  inferiority.  As  soon  as  the 
Church  is  clothed  with  the  sun,  the  moon  assumes  a  position 
beneath  her  feet.  Thus  the  woman  with  a  crown  of  twelve 
stars  on  her  head,  with  the  sun  about  her  person  and  the  moon 
under  her  feet,  is  beautifully  symbolic  of  the  Christian  (catholic) 
Church,  under  the  original  oversight  of  the  twelve  apostles,  en- 
veloped in  the  glorious  light  of  the  gospel  revelation,  and  placed 
above  the  necessity  of  the  moonlight  of  Jewish  rites  and  sacri- 
fices. The  Church  makes  her  appearance  in  heaven,  or  the 
place  of  power  in  the  government,  where,  (verse  2,)  being  with 
child,  she  cried,  travailing  in  birth,  and  pained  to  be  delivered. 
Here  the  Christian  Church  is  represented  as  a  mother  bearing 
children.  It  is  also  represented  by  the  prophet  Isaiah,  (chap, 
liv.  1,  3,)  Sing,  0  barren,  thou  that  didst  not  bear;  break  forth 
into  singing  thou  that  didst  not  travail  with  child.  Thou  shalt 
break  forth  on  the  right  hand  and  on  the  left,  and  thy  seed  shall 
inherit  the  Gentiles.  (Isaiah,  lvi.  7,  8 ;)  Before  she  travailed, 
she  brought  forth ;  before  her  pain  came  she  was  delivered  of  a 


90 

man  child.  As  soon  as  Zion  travailed  she  brought  forth  her 
children.  Individual  members  are  the  seed  or  children  of  this 
corporation,  while  Christ  is  the  husband.  The  pains  of  travail 
under  which  the  woman  suffered,  represent  the  painful  condi- 
tion of  the  Cristian  Church  while  she  was  about  to  add  a  Ro- 
man emperor  to  the  number  of  her  children. 

In  the  next  verse  we  have  another  wonder,  or  symbol,  which 
makes  its  appearance  in  heaven,  in  the  celestial  temple.  This 
was  a  great  red  (fiery  colored)  dragon,  having  seven  heads  and 
ten  horns,  and  seven  crowns  upon  his  head,  and  his  tail  drew 
the  third  part  of  the  stars  of  heaven  and  did  cast  them  to  the 
earth.  The  dragon  represents  the  established  religion  as  a  cor- 
poration— the  pagan  body  or  party  whose  religion  was  a  con- 
stituent part  of  the  State.  The  seven  heads  represent  the  seven 
different  forms  of  government  by  which  this  body,  in  the  course 
of  its  history,  was  successively  ruled.  These  heads  are  more 
particularly  spoken  of  in  the  seventeenth  chapter.  It  will 
merely  here  be  necessary  to  anticipate  that  the  last  form  of  the 
pagan  government  was  that  new  autocrat  imperial  form  which 
was  instituted  by  Dioclesian,  and  perfected  by  Constantine  and 
his  successors.  The  ten  horns,  as  we  learn  in  the  seventeenth 
chapter,  represent  the  ten  cotemporaneous  States,  or  powers, 
which  were  to  spring  up  in  this  body  of  men. 

The  red  or  fiery  color  of  the  dragon,  is  emblematic  of  a 
vindictive  and  sanguinary  character.  The  tail  of  the  dragon 
represents  the  fanatical  teachers  and  priests  of  the  pagan  party ; 
while  the  third  part  of  the  stars  of  heaven  represent  Christian 
teachers  as  constituting  an  important  portion  of  eminent  teachers 
in  the  Roman  world. 

These  stars  are  drawn  along  at  the  tail  of  the  dragon  and 
dashed  about  on  the  ground,  in  order  to  represent  the  degrading 
and  violent  treatment  which  many  Christian  bishops  and  teachers 
received  at  the  hands  of  the  fanatical  portion  of  the  pagan  party 
under  the  pagan  emperors. 

Whenever  the   pagan   party  was   aroused   by  its   fanatical 


01 

priests  and  advocates  to  enmity  and  opposition  to  Christianity, 
the  bishops  and  eminent  Christian  teachers  were  generally  the 
principal  objects  against  whom  pagan  enmity  and  opposition 
were  directed. 

It  was  supposed  by  the  pagan  opposers  and  persecutors,  that 
if  they  could  remove  the  teachers  and  pastors,  and  especially 
the  bishops,  from  their  flocks,  they  would  have  less  difficulty  in 
crushing  the  Christian  religion.  The  bishops  and  teachers  were 
the  especial  objects  of  hatred  and  persecution,  because  they  were 
constantly  inflaming  the  zeal  of  their  flocks  for  the  Christian 
faith. 

The  fourth  and  fifth  verses.  And  the  dragon  stood  before 
the  woman  which  was  ready  to  be  delivered,  for  to  devour  her 
child  as  soon  as  it  was  born.  And  she  brought  forth  a  man 
child,  (a  son,  a  man,)  who  was  to  rule  all  nations  with  a  rod  of 
iron,  and  her  child  was  caught  up  to  Cod  and  to  his  throne. 
As  the  man  of  sin — the  one  above  law,  who,  according  to  the 
apostle,  was  to  have  his  seat  or  throne  in  the  temple  or  Church 
of  God,  and  exalt  himself  above  all  human  dignity  and  au- 
thority, evidently  signifies  a  ruler  or  succession  of  rulers.  We 
may  attach  a  similar  signification  to  the  son  of  man,  or  man 
child,  whom  the  woman  was  about  to  bring  forth,  especially  as 
it  is  declared  of  him,  that  he  was  to  rule  all  nations  with  a  rod 
of  iron.  The  son,  a  man,  must  therefore  represent  a  Christian 
ruler  or  emperor,  governing  the  pagan  communities  with  an 
iron  rule. 

This  man  child  was  born  into  the  Roman  world  when  Con- 
stantine  first  succeeding  to  a  joint  participation  in  the  imperial 
office  and  dignity,  professed  himself  the  protector  and  advocate 
of  Christianity ;  and  the  man  child  was  caught  up  to  God  and 
his  throne  when  the  whole  of  the  imperial  office  came  into  the 
possession  of  Constantine  and  his  successors.  According  to  St. 
Paul,  there  is  no  power  but  of  God — the  powers  that  be,  are 
ordained  of  God.  In  this  sense  the  imperial  throne  was  the 
throne  of  God.    The  pagan  party  is  represented  as  prepared  and 


92 

on  the  alert  to  crush  and  destroy  imperial  Christianity  at  its 
birth.  Constantihe,  escaping  from  the  power  of  the  pagan  em- 
perors and  persecutors,  succeeded  to  the  imperial  office  in  the 
western  part  of  the  empire,  and  it  was  through  much  opposition 
from  the  pagan  party  and  emperors,  that  he  finally  succeeded  to 
the  undivided  imperial  office. 

As  soon,  however,  as  the  imperial  throne  came  to  be  occupied 
by  a  professed  protector  and  advocate  of  the  Christian  Church, 
then  begins  the  period  of  the  woman's  flight  from  heaven  into 
the  wilderness,  into  a  place  prepared  of  God,  that  they  should 
feed  her  there  a  thousand  two  hundred  and  three  score  days. 
This  language  signifies,  that  after  the  establishment  of  an  advo- 
cate and  protector  on  the  imperial  throne,  the  Christian  Church, 
as  a  corporation,  obedient  to  the  apostolic  teaching  and  authority, 
and  diffusing  the  light  of  the  gospel,  would  begin  to  retire  from 
the  immediate  notice  of  those  in  power,  and  be  driven  into  an 
obscure  and  forlorn  condition ;  that  she  would  exist  in  this  con- 
dition during  a  period  of  one  thousand  two  hundred  and  sixty 
years;  that  during  this  period  she  would  be  distinguished  neither 
for  number  nor  consideration. 

While,  however,  the  Church  (the  Christian  body  politic)  is  in 
this  transition  state  and  period,  from  a  high  to  an  obscure  posi- 
tion in  the  Roman  world,  there  is  carried  on  a  contest  among 
those  in  power.  In  this  contest,  the  friends  of  Christianity 
endeavour  to  cast  the  pagan  party  and  its  advocates  out  of 
their  place  of  authority. 

Verses  six  to  nine.  And  there  was  war  in  heaven.  Michael 
and  his  angels  fought  against  the  dragon,  and  the  dragon  fought 
and  his  angels,  and  prevailed  not ;  neither  was  their  place  found 
any  more  in  heaven.  And  the  great  dragon  was  cast  out,  that 
old  serpent,  called  the  devil,  and  Satan,  which  deceiveth  the 
whole  world;  he  was  cast  out  and  his  angels  were  cast  out  with 
him. 

After  the  imperial  office  had  been  gained  to  the  side  of  Chris- 


93 

tianity,  the  party  in  the  government  on  the  side  of  Christianity 
began  a  contest  with  the  pagan  party  and  its  advocates  to  drive 
them  from  power.  And  this  contest  continued  for  more  than 
half  of  a  century.  The  woman  leaves  heaven,  or  the  high  place 
on  which  the  temple  stands  before  the  war  commenced  there, 
and  at  the  end  of  the  war  she  is  found  upon  the  earth. 

The  war  is  not  between  the  woman  and  the  dragon,  but  be- 
tween Michael  and  the  dragon,  each  supported  by  their  respect- 
ive angels.  Christianity  as  a  church  or  corporation,  depended 
to  a  certain  extent  upon  the  civil  or  secular  government  for  pro- 
tection. She  bears  not  the  sword,  but  looks  to  the  state  or  secu- 
lar authority  to  protect  her  in  her  corporate  rights.  The  use  of 
the  sword  or  of  weapons  of  war  is  not  more  unsuitable  to  the 
gentle  nature  of  woman,  than  it  is  to  that  of  the  Christian 
church.  The  weapons  of  our  warfare  are  not  carnal,  but  spi- 
ritual. 

Concerning  Michael,  we  learn  from  the  prophet  Daniel,  that 
he  stands  for  the  children  of  God's  people  or  church,  and  uses 
his  power  with  secular  kings  and  governments,  in  order  to  pro- 
tect and  maintain  their  cause. 

We  may  therefore  make  Michael  here,  to  represent,  jaot  the 
Christian  church,  but  the  imperial  power  taking  the  side  of 
Christianity.  The  imperial  power  and  those  who  side  with  it, 
succeed  in  overcoming  the  pagan  party  and  its  advocates  and 
expelling  them  so  effectually  from  the  government,  that  their 
place  therein  was  not  found  any  jnore,  and.  the  pagan  corpora- 
tion and  religion  ceased  to  be  a  constituent  part  of  the  state, 
and  lost  the  aid  and  patronage  of  the  secular  power. 

This  great  and  ancient  corporation  had  so  much  calumniated 
and  opposed  the  true  religion,  that  it  is  called  the  devil  and 
Satan,  that  is,  the  calumniator  or  liar  and  the  opposer  or  enemy. 
It  had  been  also,  wonderfully  successful  in  deluding  the  great 
mass  of  the  people  of  the  empire,  working  after  this  manner  of 
Satan,  with  falsehood  and  fictitious  privileges,  with  all  power 
and  sighs  and  wonders  of  falsehood,  and  with  all  the  deception 

9 


94 

of  dishonesty.  But  it  was  now  degraded  from  power  and  place 
into  a  state  of  subjection  and  submission. 

"  It  is  very  remarkable,  that  Constantine  and  the  Christians 
*  of  his  time  describe  his  victory  over  the  Pagan  party,  under 
"  the  same  image  that  we  find  here  in  St.  John,  as  if  they  had 
"  understood  that  this  prophecy  had  received  .  its  accomplish- 
"  ment  in  him.'' 

"  Constantine  himself,  in  his  epistle  to  Eusebius  and  other 
u  bishops,  concerning  the  re-edifying  and  repairing  of  churches, 
"  saith  that  liberty  being  now  restored  and  the  dragon  being 
"  removed  from  the  administration  of  public  affairs  .by  the  pro- 
"  vidence  of  the  great  God,  and  by  my  ministry,  I  esteem  the 
"  great  power  of  God  to  have  been  made  manifest  even  to  all." 
Moreover,  a  picture  of  Constantine  was  set  up  over  the  palace 
gate  with  the  cross  over  his  head,  and  under  his  feet  the  great 
enemy  of  mankind  who  persecuted  the  church  by  means  of  im- 
pious tyrants  in  the  form  of  a  dragon,  transfixed  with  a  dart 
through  the  midst  of  his  body,  and  falling  headlong  into  the 
midst  of  the  sea ;  in  allusion  as  it  is  said,  expressly  to  the 
divine  oracles  in  the  books  of  the  prophets  where  that  evil 
spirit  is  called  the  dragon  and  the  crooked  serpent.  (Bishop 
Newton,  Dis.  25.)  The  fall  of  paganism  from  place  and  power 
in  the  Roman  government,  was  not  however,  completed,  until 
the  reign  of  Theodosius  the  great,  at  the  close  of  the  fourth  cen- 
tury. "  The  titles,  the  ensigns,  the  prerogatives  of  sovereign 
power,"  says  Gibbop,  "  which  had  been  instituted  by  Numa  and 
assumed  by  Augustus,  were  accepted  without  hesitation  by  seven 
Christian  emperors,  who  were  invested  with  a  more  absolute 
authority  over  the  religion  which  they  had  deserted,  than  over 
that  which  they  had  professed."  But  when  Gratian,  (A.  D., 
375,)  ascended  the  throne,  more  scrupulous  or  more  enlightened, 
he  sternly  rejected  those  profane  symbols;  applied  to  the  service 
of  the  state  or  of  the  church,  the  revenues  of  the  priests  and  of 
the  vestals,  abolished  their  honours  and  immunities,  and  dis- 


ft: 


95 

solved  the  ancient  fabric  of  Roman  superstition  which  was  sup- 
ported by  the  opinions  and  habits  of  eleven  hundred  years. 
Paganism  was  still  the  constitutional  religion  of  the  senate  of 
Rome.  And  this  emperor  yet  spared  the  statutes  of  the  gods, 
which  were  exposed  to  the  public  veneration  ;  four  hundred  and 
twenty-four  temples  or  chapels,  still  remained  to  satisfy  the 
devotion  of  the  people,  and  in  every  quarter  of  Rome  the  deli- 
cacy of  Christians  was  offended  by  the  fumes  of  idolatrous  sacri- 
fice. Before  the  entire  abolition  of  the  Pagan  worship  in  the 
city  of  Rome,  Symachus,  the  pagan  pontiff  and  augur,  addressed 
a  defence  of  paganism  to  the  emperor,  in  which  he  introduces 
the  celestial  genius  that  presided  over  the  fates  of  Rome,  as 
petitioning  the  emperors  in  the  following  language.  "Most 
"  excellent  princes,  fathers  of  your  country,  pity  and  respect 
"  my  age  which  has  hither  flowed  in  an  uninterrupted  course  of 
"  piety.  Since  I  do  not  repent,  permit  me  to  continue  in  the 
"  practice  of  my  ancient  rites.  Since  I  am  born  free,  allow  me 
**  to  enjoy  my  domestic  institutions.  This  religion  has  reduced 
u  the  world  under  my  laws.  These  rites  have  repelled  Hannibal 
"  from  the  gates  of  the  city  and  the  Gauls  from  the  capitol. 
"  Were  my  gray  hairs  reserved  for  such  intolerable  disgrace  ? 
u  I  am  ignorant  of  the  new  system  which  I  am  required  to  adopt, 
"  but  I  am  well  assured  that  the  correction  of  old  age,  is  always 
"an  ungrateful  and  ignominious  task."  The  eloquence  of  the 
pontiff  and  of  the  celestial  genius,  was  however,  of  no  avail. 
"  In  the  reign  of  Theodosius,  that  emperor,  in  a  full  meeting  of 
"  the  senate  of  Rome,  proposed,  according  to  the  forms  of  the 
"  republic,  the  important  question,  whether  the  worship  of  Ju- 
"  piter  or  that  of  Christ,  should  be  the  religion  of  the  Romans. 
u  On  a  regular  division  of  the  senate,  Jupiter  was  condemned 

"  and  degraded  by  the  senate,  of  a  very  large  majority 

"  They  yielded  to  the  authority  of  the  emperor,  to  the  fashion 
"  of  the  times,  and  to  the  entreaties  of  their  wives  and  children, 
"who  were  instigated  and  governed  by  the  clergy  of  Rome  and 
"  the  works  of  the  east And   the   luminaries  of  the 


96 

"  world,  the  venerable  assembly  of  Catos,  (such  are  the  high- 
u  flown  expressions  of  Prudentius,)  were  impatient  to  strip  them- 
"  selves  of  their  pontifical  garments ;  to  cast  the  skin  of  the  old 
u  serpent,  to  assume  the  snowy  robes  of  baptismal  innocence, 
"  and  to  humble  the  pride  of  the  consular  fasces  before  the 
"  tombs  of  'the*  martyrs.  ....  The  decrees  of  the  senate 
"  which  proscribed  the  worship  of  idols,  were  ratified  by  the 
"  general  consent  of  the  Romans.  Rome  submitted  to  the  yoke 
u  of  the  gospel,  and  the  vanquished  provinces  had  not  yet  lost 
"  their  reverence  for  the  name  and  authority  of  Rome."  (Gib- 
bon.) 

The  proscription  of  the  pagan  religion  by  the  senate  of  Rome, 
may  be  regarded  as  the  consummation  of  its  fall  from  place  and 
power  in  the  government.  Being  now  driven  from  its  last 
stronghold  of  influence  and  authority,  it  retired  and  languished 
in  the  country  and  small  villages,  and  hence  received  the  name 
of  paganism — (the  rustic  or  village  religion.) 

Paganism,  with  the  whole  power  and  wealth  and  patronage  of 
the  Roman  empire  to  sustain  it,  did  for  a  period  of  three  hun- 
dred years,  oppose  and  persecute  Christianity,  which,  during 
that  period,  was  entirely  dependant  upon  its  own  resources, 
without  the  protection,  much  less  the  patronage  of  government, 
yea,  often  obliged  to  contend  against  its  active  opposition ;  yet, 
at  the  end  of  these  three  hundred  years,  it  was  still  found  in 
corporate  life  and  vigor,  while  its  mortal  enemy  vanquished, 
was  soon  to  be  degraded  from  all  place  in  the  government  and 
to  be  proscribed  as  a  part  of  the  state  religion. 

With  the  fall  of  the  pagan  party  from  power,  the  friends  of 
Christianity  in  the  government,  express  sanguine  hopes  of  the 
immediate  prevalence  of  their  religion  in  great  power  and  influ- 
ence. 

10th  verse.  "And  I  heard  a  loud  voice,  saying  in  heaven: 
Now  is  come  salvation  and  strength,  and  the  kingdom  of  our 
God  and  the  power  of  his  Christ,  for  the  accuser  of  our  brethren 
is  cast  down,  which  accused  them  before  our  God  day  and  night." 


97 

The  pagan  party,  which  had  been  incessantly  accusing  us  to 
the  supreme  sovereign  power,  as  bringing  by  our  neglect  of  the 
established  religion,  the  wrath  of  heaven  upon  the  government 
and  the  empire,  is  now  deprived  of  all  power  to  injure  us.  And 
what  were  the  means  by  which  Christianity,  (so  long  sustaining 
itself  against  the  hostile  power  of  this  formidable  party,)  eventu- 
ally vanquished  her  enemy  ? 

Verse  11.  "  And  they  overcame  him  by  the  blood  of  the 
Lamb  and  by  the  word  of  their  testimony,  and  they  loved  not 
their  lives  unto  the  death/' 

The  advocates  of  the  Christian  faith  gained  the  victory  by 
holding  up  the  blood  of  Christ  shed  upon  the  cross,  as  the  mean- 
ing and  end  of  all  sacrifices,  by  diligently  publishing  the  doc- 
trine and  testimony  of  Christ,  and  by  choosing  to  suffer  and  die, 
rather  than  abandon  their  Christian  profession. 

"I  have  seen  the  sun,  (says  Bishop  Taylor,)  with  a  little 
ray  of  distant  light,  challenge  all  the  powers  of  darkness,  and 
without  violence  or  noise  climbing  up,  hath  made  night  so  to 
retire,  that  its  memory  was  lost  in  the  joys  and  sprightfulness 
of  morning,  and  Christianity,  without  violence  or  armies,  with- 
out strength  or  human  eloquence,  without  challenging  or  privi- 
leges or  fighting  against  tyranny,  without  alteration  of  govern- 
ment and  scandal  of  princes;  with  its  humility  and  meekness, 
with  toleration  and  patience,  with  obedience  and  charity,  with 
praying  and  dying,  did  insensibly  turn  the  world  into  Christian 
and  persecution  into  victory.  When  the  dragon  was  cast  down 
from  heaven  and  the  temple  unto  the  earth,  the  inhabitants  of 
heaven  were  summoned  to  rejoice,  while  the  inhabiters  of  the 
earth  and  of  the  sea,  are  forewarned  of  evil  from  the  rage  of 
the  dragon. 

Verse  12.  "  Rejoice  ye  heavens  and  ye  that  dwell  in  them — 
woe  to  the  inhabiters  of  the  earth  and  of  the  sea,  for  the  devil 
is  come  down  to  you,  having  great  wrath  because  he  knoweth 
he  hath  but  a  short  time." 

Paganism  defeated  and  expelled  from  government  and  in- 

9* 


98 

flamed  with  great  rage  against  Christianity  was  now  forced  to 
take  up  its  abode  among  the  inhabiters  of  the  earth  and  the  sea 
— that  portion  of  the  population  who  have  no  part  in  the  gov- 
ernment. And  thus  the  contest  and  opposition  prosecuted  in 
the  government,  were  now  to  be  prosecuted  by  the  pagan  party 
among  the  people  and  prosecuted  with  great  animosity  and  vin- 
dictiveness.  After  the  expulsion  of  the  pagan  party  from  power, 
the  pagans  were  sensible  that  with  the  government  against  them, 
their  time  was  short ;  that  they  must  soon  sink  into  insignifi- 
cance, and  a  sense  of  this  fact  much  exasperated  the  party  and 
provoked  its  advocates  to  express  themselves  towards  Christian- 
ity with  the  greatest,  bitterness  and  acrimony,  and  to  arouse  the 
prejudices  and  passions  of  the  multitude  against  the  new  religion, 
so  that  sometimes,  in  remote  provinces,  the  pagans  defended 
their  ancient  superstitions  by  the  force  of  arms,  and  massacred 
the  Christians,  who  were  not  always  sufficiently  attentive  either 
to  the  rules  of  prudence  or  the  dictates  of  humanity. 

"  The  political  and  philosophical  remains  of  Eunapius  Zosi- 
"mus  and  the  fanatical  teachers  of  the  schools  of  Plato,  betray 
"  the  most  furious  animosity,  and  contain  the  sharpest  invectives 
"  against  the  sentiments  and  conduct  of  their  victorious  adver- 
"  saries.  If  these  audacious  libels  were  publicly  known,  we 
"  must  applaud  the  good  sense  of  the  Christian  princes,  who 
"  viewed,  with  a  smile  of  contempt,  the  last  struggles  of  super- 
stition and  despair."     (Gibbon.) 


99 


DISCOURSE  VIII, 

Revelations  xii.  13-17. 


"And  when  the  dragon  saw  that  he  was  cast  unto  the  earth,  he  per- 
secuted the  woman  which  brought  forth  the  mam  child.  And  to  the 
woman  were  given  two  wings  of  a  great  eagle,  that  she  might  fly  into 
the  wilderness  into  her  place,  where  she  is  nourished  for  a  time,  and 
times,  and  half  a  time,  from  the  face  of  the  serpent.  And  the  serpent 
cast  out  of  his  mouth  water  as  a  flood  after  the  woman,  that  he  might 
cause  her  to  be  carried  away  of  the  flood.  And  the  earth  helped  the 
woman,  and  the  earth  opened  her  mouth,  and  swallowed  up  the  flood 
which  the  dragon  cast  out  of  his  mouth.  And  the  dragon  was  wroth 
with  the  woman,  and  went  to  make  war  with  the  remnant  of  her  seed, 
which  keep  the  commandments  of  God,  and  have  the  testimony  of 
Jesus  Christ. 


When  the  dragon  is  cast  out  of  his  place  in  heaven  unto  the 
earth,  he  finds  the  woman  also  on  the  earth  and  commences  to 
persecute  her  or  pursue  after  her.     . 

But  the  woman  now  furnished  with  two  wings  of  a  great 
eagle,  is  enabled  to  increase  her  speed  to  her  place  of  security, 
beyond  the  face  or  presence  of  the  serpent.  Among  the  attri- 
butes of  royalty  which  the  Tuscans  sent  to  the  Romans  in  the 
days  of  the  republic,  was  a  sceptre  with  an  eagle  of  ivory,  and 
from  that  time,  the  eagle  became  one  of  the  principal  emblems 
of  the  republic,  and  after  the  subversion  of  the  republic,  it  was 
still  retained  by  the  Roman  emperors.  In  the  army,  the  eagle 
was  carried  at  the  head  of  every  legion  or  regiment,  while  the 
dragon  was  carried  at  the  head  of  every  cohort  or  company. 

The  expulsion  of  the  pagan  party  from  their  place  in  the 
government,  was  consummated  in  the  reign  of  Theodosius  the 
great,  and  at  the  same  time  were  consummated  the  alliance  of 
the  church  with  the  state  and  the  permanent  division  of  the 
state,  into  the  Greek  or  Eastern,  and  the  Latin  or  Western 
empires.    On  his  death-bed  in  the  year  395,  Theodosius  divided 


100 

the  empire  between  his  two  sons  Arcadeus  and  Honorius,  and 
the  division  proved  to  be  permanent.  These  two  parts  of  the 
empire,  were  however,  not  so  divided  but  that  a  kind  of  union 
was  preserved  between  them,  and  one  important  bond  of  this 
union  was  the  Christian  church,  (Catholic.)  The  wings  of  the 
fireat  eagle  represent  these  two  separate  powers  or  states,  and  as 
joined  to  the  woman  they  represent  these  two  powers  or  states 
in  alliance  with  the  Christian  church,  aiding  and  protecting 
her. 

Let  it  be  noticed  that  the  woman  after  she  had  brought  forth 
a  son — a  man — an  emperor,  descended  from  heaven  or  the  tem- 
ple, down  to  the  earth  on  her  way  to  the  wilderness,  so  when 
the  dragon  finds  himself  upon  the  earth,  he  finds  the  woman 
there  also.  The  woman  did  not  remain  in  heaven  where  she 
was  first  seen  and  take  there  the  place  of  the  dragon  after  his 
expulsion,  but  she  comes  down  to  the  earth,  and  is  there  found 
invested  with  two  wings  of  a  great  eagle.  This  was  intended 
to  signify,  that  the  Christian  church,  though  allied  with  and 
aided  by  the  state,  was  nevertheless  in  subjection  to  it,  and  did 
not  take  that  place  and  share  in  its  government,  from  which  the 
pagan  party  had  been  expelled ;  that  the  church,  notwithstand- 
ing the  alliance  and  aid  of  the  state,  had  her  place  among  the 
governed — the  people— the  subjects  of  the  empire. 

The  pagan  system  was  merely  an  engine  of  state.  Its  entire 
"  regulation,  even  to  the  performance  of  its  most  sacred  rites 
"  and  offices,  was  entrusted  to  the  control  and  exercise  of  the 
"  civil  magistrate.  The  power  which  directed  it  as  well  as  the 
"  power  which  its  ministers  possessed  to  enforce  their  decrees, 
"  were  not  distinguished  from  that  with  which  they  were  invested 
"  for  any  other  purpose."  Thus  paganism  was  identified  with 
the  state,  whereas  the  Christian  Church  from  its  origin  was  a 
corporation  distinct  from  the  state,  and  was  intended  to  be  so 
by  its  founder.  My  kingdom  is  not  of  this  world  is  the  lan- 
guage of  Christ  to  the  Roman  governor.  His  kingdom  is  not  a 
secular  kingdom.     Unlike  secular  kingdoms  it  was  not  to  depend 


101 

for  its  authority  and  influence  upon  physical  or  military  force, 
but  upon  the  force  of  truth.  He  that  is  of  the  truth  heareth 
my  voice.  The  subjects  of  Christ's  kingdom  are  those  who 
have  an  ear  and  a  heart  for  the  truth. 

But  though  the  Church  was  intended  to  be  a  corporate  body 
distinct  from  the  state,  and  to  have  no  share  or  place  in  the 
government,  yet  she  needs  the  power  and  authority  of  the  state 
to  protect  her  in  her  corporate  rights,  and  this  legal  protection 
she  eventually  received  from  the  Roman  government,  and  from 
being  a  persecuted  or  merely  tolerated  she  became  an  authorized 
corporation. 

And  if  the  favour  as  well  as  protection  conferred  upon  the 
Church  by  the  state,  had  the  effect  to  keep  her  beyond  the 
persecuting  power  and  attacks  of  the  pagan  party,  it  must  be 
noticed  that  they  had  this  effect  by  increasing  her  speed  into  the 
wilderness  —  into  desolation  and  obscurity.  As  soon  as  the 
Church  could  number  among  her  members  an  imperial  ruler, 
she  began  to  flee  or  run  to  the  wilderness,  and  when  she  received 
not  merely  the  protection  but  the  close  alliance  of  the  state,  the 
power  of  flying  is  added  to  that  of  running,  and  now  she  is 
enabled  to  increase  her  speed  to  her  destined  forlorn  state.  And 
to  the  woman  were  given  two  wings  of  a  great  eagle,  that  she 
might  fly  into  the  wilderness — into  her  place  where  she  is  nou- 
rished for  a  time  and  times  and  half  a  time  from  the  face  of  the 
serpent.  And  what  are  we  to  understand  by  this  running  and 
then  flying  of  the  woman  into  the  wilderness  from  the  face  of 
the  serpent. 

The  Israelites  fled  from  Egypt  into  the  wilderness,  and  hence 
they  are  called  by  the  martyr  Stephen,  the  Church  which  was 
in  the  wilderness.  In  the  wilderness  the  Israelites  were  sus- 
tained by  miraculous  food  during  a  period  of  forty  years.  It 
might  be  said  of  the  Church  of  Israel  under  Moses,  that  she 
fled  from  the  dragon,  the  symbol  of  Egyptian  power  into  the 
wilderness — into  her  place  which  God  had  prepared  for  her,  and 


102 

where  she  was  fed  and  nourished  during  this  period  in  an  ex- 
traordinary manner. 

And  if  St.  John  says  that  she  was  converted  with  two  wings 
of  a  great  eagle,  that  she  might  fly  into  the  wilderness,  a  similar 
expression  is  used  hy  Moses  to  describe  the  manner  in  which 
the  Israelites  made  their  way  into  the  same  place. 

After  they  had  escaped  into  the  wilderness  and  were  encamped 
about  Mount  Sinai,  God  spake  unto  them  and  said,  "  Ye  have 
seen  what  I  did  unto  the  Egyptians,  and  how  I  bare  you  on 
eagle's  wings,  and  brought  you  unto  myself,  (brought  you  here 
in  the  wilderness  unto  my  presence,  to  hear  my  voice  and 
receive  commandments.") 

If  the  Church  of  Israel  passed  the  Red  Sea,  and  on  her  way 
to  the  wilderness  from  the  face  of  her  enemies,  so  the  Christian 
Church  in  fleeing  from  the  face  of  her  enemy  into  the  wilder- 
ness escaped  a  flood  of  water  which  threatened  to  overwhelm  her. 

We  read,  that  there  was  in  the  days  of  Elijah  the  prophet,  a 
drought  and  famine  in  the  land  of  Israel,  which  lasted  three 
years  and  six  months,  or  twelve  hundred  and  sixty  days. 

During  this  period  the  prophet  was  fed  and  nourished  in  an 
extraordinary  manner  in  some  retired  places  which  concealed 
him  from  the  knowledge  and  presence  of  his  idolatrous  enemies. 
These  places  were  appointed  and  prepared  of  Grod  for  the  resi- 
dence of  the  prophets.  The  period  of  Elijah's  concealment  and 
preservation  corresponds  with  the  three  and  a  half  years  of  the 
woman's  concealment  and  preservation  in  the  wilderness  in  her 
appointed  place.  In  other  respects,  however,  this  symbolic  re- 
presentation of  St.  John  runs  more  in  parallel  with  the  history 
of  the  Church  of  Israel  in  her  flight  from  Egypt  into  the  wilder- 
ness, and  her  preservation  and  nourishment  there  in  an  imper- 
fect state  of  polity.  The  word  wilderness  when  applied  to  the 
Christian  Church  evidently  contains  three  important  ideas,  an 
imperfectly  administered  polity,  concealment  and  security.  It 
is  no  doubt  intended  to  signify  that  during  the  period  specified, 
those  Christians  who  adhered  to  a  pure  faith  and  worship,  would 


103 

not,  as  a  Catholic  body  politic,  exist  in  a  perfect  state  of  order 
and  government,  or  attract  much  notice,  hut  would  exist  in  an 
impaired  and  obscure  state,  and  that  in  this  state  would  consist 
their  security.  Accordingly  for  many  hundred  years  past, 
Christians  of  a  pure  faith  and  pure  morals  who  have  protested 
against  the  idolatry  and  errors  of  the  majority,  have  in  their 
Catholic  corporate  character  been  deficient  in  polity  and  govern- 
ment, and  obtained  but  little  consideration  in  the  Roman  world 
— they  have  commanded  more  notice  and  been  more  effective  in 
their  protestant  teaching  character,  than  that  of  a  Catholic  cor- 
poration in  a  proper  state  of  order  and  discipline.  Cities  are 
said  in  Scripture  to  be  made  a  wilderness  when  they  have  been 
reduced  into  a  dilapidated  and  depopulated  condition.  And 
such  is  the  state  of  the  Christian  city  or  body  politic,  her  people 
are  small  in  numbers,  and  wanting  in  unity  and  order. 

Up  to  the  time  of  Constantine,  Christians  of  a  pure  faith  and 
worship  had  preserved  themselves  a  united  and  well  ordered 
body  of  men,  and  had  attained  unto  great  notice  and  influence 
in  the  Roman  world,  but  after  the  time  of  Constantine  they 
gradually  became  in  minority  or  remnants,  and  then  gradually 
sunk  as  a  body  politic,  into  an  impaired  and  obscure  condition. 

And  such  is  their  present  condition  in  Roman  Catholic  coun- 
tries. There  has  existed  in  Roman  Catholic  "  Christendom  for 
"  ages  past  a  body  of  men  who,  like  the  remnant  of  the  seven 
"  thousand  of  Israel  that  had  not  bowed  the  knee  to  the  image 
"  of  Baal,  have  not  been  much  noticed  or  regarded  except  by 
"  the  searcher  of  hearts,  but  nevertheless  have  been  more  espe- 
"  cially  entitled  to  the  name  of  the  true  Church,  and  amidst  the 
"  corruptions,  the  discouragements,  and  the  changes  of  a  world 
14  with  which  they  had  but  little  in  common,  and  which  was  not 
"  worthy  of  them,  pursued  their  pure  course  in  privacy."  Among 
these  men  the  testimony  of  Jesus — the  pure  Word  of  God,  has 
been  taught  and  believed,  and  thus  nourished  by  the  Word  of 
God  they  have  been  preserved  in  their  imperfect  and  obscure 


104 

corporate   condition — the  providence  of  God   furnishing  them 
with  the  means  of  nourishment  and  preservation. 

We  are  informed  that  the  woman  was  to  dwell  and  be  nou- 
rished in  the  wilderness  during  a  determined  period,  but  we  are 
not  informed  how  long  the  woman  was  to  be  occupied  in  her 
passage  or  transition  into  the  wilderness.  Her  transition  was 
gradual,  it  began  soon  after  the  time  of  Constantine,  and  ended 
about  the  eighth  century,  occupying  a  period  of  four  or  five 
centuries. 

The  persecutions  with  which  the  Christian  Church  before  the 
time  of  Constantine  was  so  personally  assailed,  had  the  effect  of 
deterring  insincere  and  worldly  minded  men  from  assuming  the 
Christian  profession  or  ministry  in  any  great  number. 

When,  however,  the  protection  and  favour  of  Constantine 
began  to  make  the  Christian  profession  fashionable  and  popular, 
and  to.  increase  the  honours  and  authority  and  emoluments  of 
its  ministers,  persons  of  a  different  character  began  to  occupy 
the  profession  and  ministry.  The  increased  rank  and  power 
and  wealth  with  which  the  Koman  emperors  invested  the  clergy, 
began  to  attract  into  the  clerical  office  ambitious  and  unscrupu- 
lous men,  who  sought  power  and  station  more  than  the  true  in- 
terest and  welfare  of  the  Church.  And  such  men  would  use  a 
dexterity  and  a  policy  to  gain  their  objects,  from  which  the  sin- 
cere and  the  modest  would  shrink.  Without  a  concealed  policy, 
and  a  busy  and  bold  ambition,  men  do  not  get  along  very  well  in 
the  scuffle  after  the  honours  and  employments  of  public  life. 
Those  of  sincere  intentions  and  retiring  habits  are  unable  in  such 
a  scuffle  to  compete  with  the  unscrupulous  and  ambitious. 

Accordingly  when  the  policy  of  the  Roman  emperors  in  pro- 
tecting and  favouring  the  Church,  brought  forth  the  bold  and 
the  aspiring  into  prominence — the  ingenuous  and  the  modest 
began  to  retire  from  the  busy  strife,  and  were  content  to  labour 
in '  their  vocation  without  seeking  public  notice  or  the  honours 
and  emoluments  of  office  and  rank. 

Constantine,  says  Gibbon,  (Chap.  20,)  ty  the  edicts  of  tolera- 


105 

tion,  removed  the  temporal  disadvantages  which  had  hitherto 
retarded  the  progress  of  Christianity ;  and  the  active  and  nume- 
rous ministers  received  a  free  permission  or  liberal  encourage- 
ment to  recommend  the  salutary  truths  of  revelation  by  every 
argument  which  could  affect  the  reason  or  piety  of  mankind. 
The  exact  balance  of  the  two  religions  continued  but  a  moment; 
and  the  piercing  eye  of  ambition  and  avarice  soon  discovered 
that  the  profession  of  Christianity  might  contribute  to  the  in- 
terests of  the  present  as  well  as  of  a  future  life. 

The  hopes  of  wealth  and  honours,  the  example  of  an  emperor, 
his  exhortations,  his  irresistible  smiles,  diffused  conviction 
among  the  venal  and  obsequious  crowds  which  usually  fill  the 
apartments  of  a  palace.  The  cities  which  signalized  a  forward 
zeal  by  the  voluntary  destruction  of  their  temples,  were  dis- 
tinguished by  municipal  privileges,  and  regarded  with  -popular 
donatives  ;  and  the  new  capitol  of  the  East  gloried  in  the  singu- 
lar advantage  that  Constantinople  was  never  profaned  by  the 
worship  of  idols. 

As  the  lower  ranks  of  society  are  governed  by  imitation,  the 
conversion  of  those  who  possessed  any  eminence  of  birth,  of 
power  or  of  riches,  were  soon  followed  by  dependent  multi- 
tudes. 

The  vices  and  faults  of  the  clergy  of  the  fourth  century,  says 
Mosheem,  especially  of  those  who  officiated  in  large  and  opulent 
cities,  were  augmented  in  proportion  to  the  increase  of  their 
wealth,  honours,  and  advantages  derived  from  the  emperors,  and 
various  other  sources ;  and  that  this  increase  was  very  great 
after  the  times  of  Constantine  is  acknowledged  by  all.  The 
bishops  had  shameful  quarrels  among  themselves  respecting  the 
boundaries  of  their  seas  and  the  extent  of  their  jurisdiction ; 
and  while  they  trampled  on  the  rights  of  the  people  and  of  the 
inferior  clergy,  they  vied  with  the  civil  governors  of  provinces 
in  luxury,  arrogance  and  voluptuousness.  The  presbyters  in 
many  places  arrogated  to  themselves  a  dignity  and  authority 
equal  to  bishops.     Of  the  pride  and  effeminacy  of  the  deacons, 

10 


106 

we  often  meet  with  various  complaints The  bishop  of 

Rome  surpassed  all  his  brethren  in  the  amplitude  and  splendor 
of  the  church  over  which  he  presided,  in  the  magnitude  of  his 
revenues  and  possessions,  in  the  number  of  his  assistants  or 
ministers  of  various  descriptions,  in  the  weight  of  his  influence 
with  the  people  at  large,  and  in  the  sumptuousness  and  magni- 
ficence of  his  style  of  living.  These  indications  of  power  and 
worldly  greatness  were  so  fascinating  to  Christians  even  in  this 
age,  that  often  most  obstinate  and  bloody  contests  took  place  at 
Rome  when  a  new  pontiff  was  to  be  created  by  the  suffrages  of 
the  priests  and  people." 

The  Christian  Church  during  the  two  years  of  the  reign  of 
Julian,  was  an  object  of  partial  persecution  by  the  imperial 
court,  and  during  this  time  the  disputes  and  animosities  which 
had  disturbed  the  Church  in  the  reigns  of  Constantine  and  his 
sons  were  suspended.  As  soon,  however,  as  a  new  emperor 
ascended  the  throne  and  proclaimed  himself  a  Christian,  and 
restored  Christianity  to  the  protection  and  favour  of  the  State, 
then  these  disputes  and  animosities  revived  with  increased  viru- 
lence. 

Gibbon  has  given  the  following  picture  of  the  circumstances 
attending  this  change  of  person  in  the  imperial  office.  "  But 
they  were  still  ignorant  what  creed  or  what  synod  he  would 
choose  for  the  standard  of  orthodoxy ;  and  the  peace  of  the 
Church  immediately  revived  those  eager  disputes  which  had 
been  suspended  during  the  period  of  persecution.  The  episcopal 
leaders  of  the  contending  sects,  convinced  from  experience,  how 
much  their  fate  would  depend  on  the  earliest  impressions  that 
were  made  on  the  mind  of  an  untutored  soldier,  hastened  to  the 
court  of  Edessa  or  Antioch.  The  high  ways  of  the  east  were 
crowded  with  Homousean  and  Arian,  and  Semi-Arian,  and 
Eunomian  bishops,  who  outstripped  each  other  in  the  holy  race ; 
the  apartments  of  the  palace  resounded  with  their  clamours,  and 
the  ears  of  the  prince  were  assaulted  and  perhaps  astonished  by 
the  singular  mixture  of  metaphysical  argument  and  passionate 


107 

invective."  We  may  well  suppose  that  Christians  possessed  of 
those  amiable  dispositions  inculcated  by  our  Blessed  Lord  in  the 
first  part  of  the  fifth  chapter  of  Matthew,  as  characteristic  of  his 
true  subjects  and  disciples,  would  find  nothing  congenial  to 
their  feelings  in  these  public  unbecoming  scenes  of  passion  and 
strife,  and  that  their  feelings  and  language  would  be  those  of 
the  prophet.  Oh  that  I  had  in  the  wilderness  a  lodging  place 
of  way-faring  men  :  that  I  might  leave  my  people  and  go  from 
them.  .  .  .  Take  ye  heed  every  one  of  his  neighbour :  and  trust 
ye  not  in  any  brother  :  for  every  brother  will  utterly  supplant, 
and  every  neighbour  will  walk  with  slanders.  We  may  well 
suppose  that  such  circumstances  would  tend  to  drive  those  of  a 
true  Christian  character  and  spirit  into  retirement,  and  even- 
tually to  reduce  them  as  a  body  corporate  and  politic  into  deso- 
lation and  obscurity,  and  render  them  insignificant  and  con- 
temptible in  the  opinion  of  the  ambitious  and  the  worldly. 

The  favour  and  protection  conferred  upon  the  Church  by 
Constantine  and  other  emperors,  were  confirmed  and  increased 
by  Theodosius  the  Great,  and  this  confirmation  and  increase  of 
State  favour  and  protection  gave  wings  to  the  flight  of  the  woman 
into  the  wilderness,  into  her  state  of  desolation  and  obscurity. 

An  ecclesiastical  historian  (Waddington)  remarks  on  the  long 
and  violent  controversy  which  ended  in  the  establishment  of 
image  worship  as  the  law  of  Roman  Christendom,  (the  true 
Church  Catholic  had  then  reached  the  wilderness,)  "  that  he  is 
"  persuaded  that  the  body  of  the  clergy  contained  many  pious 
"  and  rational  individuals  who  were  shocked  at  the  degradation 
**■  of  Christianity  and  humanity,  and  who  watched  with  an 
"  anxious  eye  the  endeavours  which  were  made  to  remove  it. 
"But  such  characters  which  are  among  the  best  and  the  sacred 
"  profession,  are  seldom  busy  or  ambitious.  And  the  anxiety 
"  of  those  excellent  men  may  have  been  often  confined  to  their 
"  own  bosoms,  or  at  least  to  the  narrow  limits  of  their  diocese." 
The  defective  order  and  the  obscure  condition  of  Christianity  as 
a  Catholic  body  corporate  and  politic  during  the  predicted  1260 


108 

years,  is  the  reason  why  during  this  period  she  has  so  little 
place  or  consideration  in  history,  and  why  it  is  so  difficult  to 
establish  her  continuous  succession  during  this  period  by  histo- 
rical proofs.  The  very  fact  however  of  this  want  of  historical 
notice  and  proof,  corresponds  with  this  symbolical  representation 
of  the  woman  secreted  and  nourished  in  the  wilderness,  out  of 
the  way  and  noise  of  the  busy  world,  out  of  the  notice  and  ob- 
servation of  history. 

If  however  the  alliance  and  favour  of  the  state  served  to  drive 
the  faithful  as  a  body  into  a  wilderness  state,  they  served  also 
another  incidental  important  purpose,  that  of  enabling  the 
Church  to  elude  an  imminent  danger  which  overtook  her  dur- 
ing the  period  of  her  transition  into  a  wilderness  state.  When 
the  dragon  finds  that  the  woman  by  reason  of  her  ways  can  keep 
herself  beyond  his  hostile  pursuit,  he  casts  out  of  his  mouth 
(verse  15,)  water  as  a  flood  that  he  might  cause  her  to  be  carried 
away  of  a  flood.  The  flood  or  current  of  waters  by  which  the 
dragon  aimed,  and  hoped  to  sweep  away  the  woman  from  off  the 
face  of  the  Roman  earth,  and  overwhelm  her  in  destruction,  is 
intended  to  represent  that  inundation  of  pagan  Barbarians,  or 
foreigners  which  had  set  in  upon  the  Roman  population. 

These  pagan  barbarians  after  desolating  the  empire,  assumed 
a  more  settled  character. 

They  are  at  first  represented  as  winds  restless  and  desolating, 
venting  themselves  in  fire  and  hail,  and  blood,  but  they  are  now 
represented  as  overflowing  water.  In  their  changed  and  more 
settled  condition,  they  threatened  to  overpower  the  Roman  po- 
pulation in  their  laws  and  institutions,  and  along  with  Roman 
laws  and  institutions,  the  Christian  Church  and  religion.  This 
ultimate  consequence  constituted  at  that  time,  the  aim  and  hope 
of  the  pagan  party  among  the  Romans,  but  they  were  disap- 
pointed. 

Among  the  calamitous  events  which  befel  the  Church,  after 
the  death  of  Theodosuis  the  great,  Mosheim  mentions  the  inva- 
sions of  the  pagan  nations.     During  the  fifth  century,  (says 


109 

he,)  the  Goths,  Hemli,  Franks,  Huns  and  Vandals,  with  other 
fierce  and  warlike  nations,  for  the  most  part  strangers  to  Christ- 
ianity, invaded  the  Roman  empire,  and  rent  it  asunder  in  the 
most  deplorable  manner.  Amidst  these  calamities  the  Chris- 
tians were  grievous,  (we  may  venture  to  say  principal)  sufferers. 
It  is  true  that  the  savage  nations  were  much  more  intent  upon 
the  acquisitions  of  wealth  and  dominion,  than  upon  the  propa- 
gation or  support  of  the  pagan  superstitions,  nor  did  their 
cruelty  and  opposition  to  the  Christians,  arise  from  any  religious 
principle,  or  from  an  enthusiastic  desire  to  ruin  the  cause  of 
Christianity  j  it  was  merely  by  the  instigation  of  the  ^pag*1118 
who  remained  yet  in  the  empire,  that  they  were  excited  to  treat 
with  such  severity  and  violence  the  followers  of  Christ.  The 
painful  consideration  of  their  abrogated  rights,  and  the  hopes  of 
recovering  their  former  liberty  and  privileges,  by  means  of  their 
new  masters,  induced  the  worshippers  of  the  Gods,  to  seize  with 
avidity  every  opportunity  of  inspiring  them  with  the  most  bitter 
aversion  to  the  christians.  Their  endeavours  however  were 
without  the  desired  effect,  and  their  expectations  were  entirely 
disappointed.  The  greatest  part  of  these  barbarians  embraced 
Christianity,  though  it  be  also  true  that  in  the  beginning  of 
their  usurpations,  the  professors  of  that  religion  suffered  heavily 
under  the  rigor  of  their  government. 

The  woman  was  helped  by  the  earth,  which  (16th  verse) 
opened  her  mouth  and  swallowed  up  the  flood. 

The  Roman  population  in  their  laws  and  civilization,  were 
for  a  while  overwhelmed — overpowered  by  the  barbarians, 
in  the  course  of  time  gained  the  upperhand,  and  those  con- 
quered by  the  sword  of  the  barbarians,  became  in  their  turn 
conquerors  by  their  laws  and  institutions.  To  use  the  language 
of  Bishop  Newton  j  nothing  was  more  likely  to  produce  the 
ruin  and  utter  subversion  of  the  christian  Church,  than  the 
irruptions  of  so  many  barbarous  heathen  nations.  But  the 
event  proved  contrary  to  human  appearance  and  expectation  j 
the  earth   swallowed  up  the  flood  ;  the  barbarians  were  rather 

10* 


110 

swallowed  up  by  the  Romans,  than  the  Romans  by  the  barbar- 
ians, the  heathen  conquerors  instead  of  imposing  their  own,  sub- 
mitted to  the  religion  of  the  conquered  christians,  and  they  not 
only  embraced  the  religion,  but  affected  even  the  laws,  the  man- 
ners, the  customs,  the  language  and  the  very  name  of  Romans, 
so  that  the  victors  were  in  a  manner  absorbed,  and  lost  among 
the  vanquishers.  But  if  the  woman  in  escaping  the  flood,  was 
helped  from  below  by  the  earth,  so  was  she  also  helped  from 
above  by  her  wings,  if  she  was  helped  by  the  people,  so  was 
she  also  helped  by  her  alliance  with  the  government,  by  the 
power  ^ind  consideration,  which  that  alliance  had  conferred  upon 
her  teachers  and  rulers. 

The  alliance  and  favour  of  the  state  had  served  to  increase  the 
rank  and  importance  of  her  rulers  and  teachers,  and  to  elevate 
them  to  the  first  station  among  the  subjects  of  the  empire,  and 
it  was  this  elevation  to  high  rank  and  station,  that  gave  them 
consideration  and  influence  among  the  pagan  invaders,  and 
brought  them  to  adopt  Roman  civilization  and  religion.  The 
consideration  and  influence  which  the  ministers  and  teachers  of 
the  Church,  possessed  in  the  minds  of  the  pagan  barbarians,  and 
which  they  had  acquired  bj  the  help  of  the  state,  served  to  save 
the  Church  from  being  overwhelmed  by  the  current  of  pagan 
power,  and  disorder  which  had  set  in  upon  the  Roman  popula- 
tion ;  such  might  have  been  its  fate,  (Waddington  Chap.  18,) 
had  it  not  been  rescued  by  an  established  body  of  ministers,  or 
had  that  body  been  less  zealous  or  influential.  Among  the 
Romans  the  common  people  were  for  the  most  part  recent,  and 
not  always  very  serious  converts  from  polytheism ;  the  higher 
olasses  were  neither  numerous  nor  powerful,  nor  had  any  inte- 
rest in  the  support  of  Christianity ;  the  clergy  alone  composed 
the  vital  efficient  portion  of  the  aristocracy.  Among  the  bar- 
barians the  rudest  soldier  brought  with  him  a  superstitious  re- 
verence for  the  office  and  person  of  a  reygious  minister,  which 
prepared  him  for  adhesion  to  the  religion  itself,  especially  where 
the  ministers  were  honoured,  and  the  ceremonies  splendid ;  and 


Ill 

the  illiterate  prince  readily  gave  attention  to  the  counsels  of  the 
bishops  who  were  the  most  learned,  and  the  most  respected 
among  his  subjects.  Thence  resulted  the  gradual  conversion  of 
the  invaders  by  the  agency  of  the  visible  Church.  Without 
these  means  had  Christianity  there  existed  as  a  mere  individual 
belief,  or  even  under  a  less  vigorous  form  of  human  government, 
the  religious  society  would  have  possessed  neither  the  energy 
nor  discipline  necessary  for  resistance,  to  the  deluge  which  en- 
dangered it," 

Had  the  Church,  as  under  the  pagan  emperors,  been  at  this 
time  an  illegal,  persecuted,  despised  society  among  the  Romans  ? 
Had  she  not  been  acknowledged  and  protected,  and  favoured  by 
state  as  a  distinct  corporation.  Had  she  not  possessed  the  ad- 
ditional vigor  and  influence,  which  the  state  had  thus  imparted 
to  her  rulers  and  teachers,  she  must  have  been  overtaken  and 
overwhelmed  by  barbarian  and  pagan  violence.  Guizot  (in  his 
6th  Lecture  on  civilization,)  thus  explains  the  escape  of  the 
Church  from  this  threatened  destruction  at  the  hands  of  tHe 
pagan  barbarians,  who  had  settled  among  the  Roman  population 
after  conqueriug  them. 

Just  at  the  time  the  empire  fell,  the  Churcfrbelieved  that  she 
had  attained  the  summit  of  her  hopes ;  after  a  long  struggle  she 
had  completely  vanquished  paganism.  Gratian  the  last  emperor 
who  assumed  the  pagan  dignity  of  sovereign  pttntiff,  died  at  the 
close  of  the  fourth  century.  The  Church  believed  herself 
equally  victorious  in  her  struggle  against  heretics,  particularly 
against  Arianism,  the  principal  heresy  of  the  time.  Theodosius 
at  the  end  of  the  fourth  century  put  them  down  by  imperial 
edicts ;  and  had  the  double  merit  of  subduing  the  Arian  heresy, 
and  abolishing  the  worship  of  idols  throughout  the  Roman 
world.  The  Church  then  was  in  the  possession  of  the  govern- 
ment, and  had  obtained  the  victory  over  her  two  greatest  enemies. 
It  was  at  this  moment  that  the  Roman  empire  failed  her,  and 
she  stood  in  the  presence  of  new  pagans,  of  new  heretics  in  the 


112 

presence  of  barbarians,  of  Goths,  of  Vandals,  of  Burgundians 
and  Franks, — the  fall  was  immense. 

(Lecture  2d,  on  general  civilization.)  Had  it  not  been  a 
Church,  it  is  hard  to  say  what  would  have  been  its  fate  in  the 
general  convulsion  which  attended  the  overthrow  of  the  Roman 
empire.  At  this  time  there  existed  none  of  those  means  by 
which  an  abstract  truth  now  makes  way,  gains  an  authority  over 
mankind,  governs  their  actions,  and  directs  their  movements. 
Nothing  of  this  kind  existed  in  the  fourth  century,  nothing 
which  could  give  to  simple  ideas,  to  personal  opinions  so  much 
weight  and  power. 

Hence,  I  think  it  may  be  assumed,  that  only  a  society  firmly 
established  under  a  powerful  government  and  rules  of  discipline, 
could  hope  to  bear  up  amid  such  disaster — could  hope  to  weather 
so  violent  a  storm.  I  think,  then,  humanly  speaking,  that  it 
was  the  Christian  Church  with  its  institutions,  its  magistrates, 
its  authority,  that  saved  Christianity,  that  struggling  against 
the  barbarians  overcame  them.  Thus,  the  external  help,  with 
which  the  Church  had  been  invested  by  the  state,  added  to  her 
ability  to  keep  above  and  beyond  the  calamity  with  which  the 
Roman  population  was  for  a  while  overwhelmed. 

Verse  17.  "  And  the  dragon  was  wroth  with  the  woman,  and 
went  (departed)  to  make  war  with  the  remnant  of  her  seed,  which 
keep  the  commandments  of  God,  and  have  the  testimony  of 
Jesus  Christ." 

The  pagan  invaders,  who,  in  the  fifth  century,  like  fierce 
winds,  devastated  the  empire  in  the  course  of  the  sixth  and 
seventh  centuries,  became  a  more  settled  and  orderly  population, 
and  conforming  to  Roman  laws  and  institutions,  were  absorbed 
among  the  Roman  population.  And  now  after  the  conversion 
of  the  pagan  barbarians  to  the  Roman  civilization  and  religion, 
and  the  subsequent  reduction  of  the  true  Church,  in  its  catholic 
corporate  character,  into  an  object  of  little  consideration  in  the 
Roman  world,  the  infidel  party  cease  to  notice  Christians  of  a 
pure  faith  and  worship,  in  their  Church  or  corporate  character, 


113 

but  oppose  and  contend  with  them   in   their  individual   and 
isolated  character- 
How  the  dragon,  by  means  of  another  beast,  makes  war  upon 
this  remnant,  during  the  residence  of  the  woman  in  the  wilder- 
ness beyond  his  notice,  we  shall  learn  in  the  next  chapter. 


DI.SCOUBSE   IX. 
Rev.  xiii.  1-10. 


"And  I  stood  upon  the  sand  of  the  sea,  and  saw  a  beast  rise  up  out 
of  the  sea,  having  seven  heads  and  ten  horns,  and  upon  his  horns  ten 
crowns,  and  upon  his  heads  the  name  of  blasphemy.  And  the  beast 
which  I  saw  was  like  unto  a  leopard,  and  his  feet  were  as  the  feet  of  a 
bear,  and  his  mouth  as  the  mouth  of  a  lion :  and  the  dragon  gave  him 
his  power,  and  his  seat,  and  great  authority.  And  I  saw  one  of  his 
heads  as  it  were  wounded  to  death  ;  and  his  deadly  wound  was  healed  ; 
and  all  the  world  wondered  after  the  beast.  And  they  worshipped  the 
dragon  which  gave  power  unto  the  beast:  and  they  worshipped  the 
beast,  saying,  Who  is  like  unto  the  beast  ?  who  is  able  to  make  war 
with  him  ?  And  there  was  given  unto  him  a  mouth  speaking  great 
things  and  blasphemies ;  and  power  was  given  unto  him  to  continue 
forty  and  two  months.  And  he  opened  his  mouth  in  blasphemy  against 
God,  to  blaspheme  his  name,  and  his  tabernacle,  and  them  that  dwell 
in  heaven.  And  it  was  given  unto  him  to  make  war  with  the  saints, 
and  to  overcome  them :  and  power  was  given  him  over  all  kindreds, 
and  tongues,  and  nations.  And  all  that  dwell  upon  the  earth  shall 
worship  him,  whose  names  are  not  written  in  the  book  of  life  of  the 
Limb  slain  from  the  foundation  of  the  world.  If  any  man  have  an  ear, 
let  him  hear.  He  that  leadeth  into  captivity  shall  go  into  captivity : 
he  that  killeth  with  the  sword  must  be  killed  with  the  sword.  Here  is 
patience  and  the  faith  of  the  saints." 

It  may  not  be  useless  to  eall  to  our  attention,  the  contents  of 
the  preceding  chapter. 

The  woman  clothed  with  the  sun,  having  the  moon  under  her 
feet,  and  a  crown  of  twelve  stars  upon  her  head,  is  the  Christian 
Church,  as  a  catholic  body,  corporate  and  politic,  possessed  of 
the  glorious  light  of  the  Christian  religion,  placed  above  the 
moonlight  of  the  crusaic  revelation,  and  being  originally,  under 


114 

the  teaching  and  rule  of  the  twelve  apostles.  The  travail  and 
distress  of  the  woman,  represent  the  deplorable  condition  of  this 
corporation  of  men,  under  the  persecutions  of  Dioclesian  and 
Gralerius,  when  she  was  on  the  eve  of  adding  an  emperor  to  the 
number  of  her  children. 

The  dragon  with  the  seven  heads  crowned,  and  the  ten  horns 
yet  uncrowned,  is  the  pagan  corporation  or  body  of  men.  This 
corporation  in  the  course  of  its  history,  passed  through  seven 
different  forms  of  government,  represented  by  seven  different 
heads. 

The  ten  horns  uncrowned,  represent  ten  kingdoms,  ten  powers 
or  states,  who  were  not  to  become  such  in  the  pagan,  but  in  a 
subsequent  corporation. 

The  birth  of  a  son,  a  man,  and  his  exaltation  to  the  throne 
of  God,  represent  the  imperial  office  and  authority,  as  coming 
first  into  the  partial,  and  afterwards  into  the  full  possession  of 
sovereigns,  the  protectors  of  the  Christian  Church.  The  first 
emperor  professedly  Christian,  who  protected  and  favoured  the 
Christian  Church,  was  Constantine.  After  his  ascension  to  the 
height  of  power,  to  the  undivided  imperial  office  and  authority, 
began  the  war  in  heaven  ;  Michael  and  his  angels  on  the  one 
side,  and  the  dragon  and  his  angels  on  the  other  side.  This 
war  in  heaven,  signifies  the  contest  carried  on  in  the  govern- 
ment, between  the  advocates  of  Christianity  and  its  adversaries 
and  opposers.  In  this  contest,  the  advocates  of  Christianity, 
with  the  emperor  at  their  head,  endeavoured  to  expel  the  pagan 
corporation  and  party  from  all  power  and  place  in  the  govern- 
ment, and  they  were  eventually  successful.  And  the  dragon 
and  his  angels  were  cast  out,  and  their  place  was  found  no  more 
in  heaven.  The  expulsion  was  consummated  in  the  reign  of 
Theodosius  the  great,  at  the  close  of  the  fourth  century,  and  at 
the  same  time  were  perfected  the  alliance  between  the  govern- 
ment and  the  Church,  and  the  division  of  the  empire  into  two 
powers  or  states,  with  the  Christian  Church  as  an  important 
bond  of  union  between  them.     Then  was  the  woman  in  full  pos- 


115 

session  of  the  two  wings  of  a  great  eagle,  that  she  might  fly 
into  the  wilderness.  In  the  reign  of  Constantine  she  began  to 
fly — to  run  for  the  wilderness,  and  in  the  reign  of  Theodosius 
she  receives  wings,  which  enable  her  to  increase  her  speed 
thither. 

The  rest  from  persecution  in  the  time  of  Constantine,  and  the 
honors  and  revenues  which  he  and  his  successors  conferred  upon 
the  Christian  Church  and  its  ministers,  served  to  render  the 
Christian  profession  and  ministry  popular  and  fashionable,  and 
to  introduce  among  them  many  unworthy  and  ambitious  persons, 
who  eventually  secured  the  ascendancy  in  power  and  influence. 

The  introduction  of  such  persons  into  the  Church,  naturally 
drove  the  more  sincere  and  modest  from  the  notice  of  the  public, 
until  eventually  Christian  ministers  and  professors  of  this  charac- 
ter became  a  small  minority,  driven  in  their  corporate  capacity 
into  a  wilderness  or  desolate  state — a  state  defective  in  organi- 
zation and  order,  and  without  public  consideration  and  influence ; 
and  it  was  the  want  of  such  public  consideration  and  influence 
in  which  consisted  the  security  and  preservation  of  this  body  of 
men  in  the  Roman  community.  But  while  the  alliance  and 
favour  of  the  State  thus  served  to  drive  the  faithful  minority 
into  a  desolate  corporate  state,  they  also  served  the  purpose  of 
saving  the  Church  in  the  time  of  its  transition  into  dissolution, 
and  security  from  being  lost  among  the  barbarian  heathens  and 
idolaters,  who  settled  among  the  Roman  population.  The 
honours  and  revenues  which  had  been  conferred  upon  the 
Church  and  its  ministers  by  the  Roman  government,  served  to 
give  to  these  ministers  a  consequence  and  influence  in  the 
minds  of  the  barbarians,  which  aided  greatly  in  their  civiliza- 
tion and  conversion,  and  in  the  salvation  of  the  .Christian 
Church  and  religion,  from  extinction  in  the  Roman  world. 

Though  the  pagans  and  idolaters  found  that  they  could  not 
destroy  the  Christian  Church  and  religion,  yet  they  continued 
to  make  war  with  the  faithful  minority,  in  their  individual 
isolated  character,  and  they  carry  on  this  opposition  through 


116 

another  corporation  or  party,  to  which  they  delegate,  or  hand 
over  their  idolatrous  power  and  influence,  which  is  particu- 
larly described  in  this  thirteenth  chapter. 

This  corporation  is  represented  by  a  beast  that  rises  up  out 
of  the  sea — not  out  of  the  earth  or  land.  It  comes  up  from 
the  sea  upon  the  land.  It  is  a  corporation.  It  first  has  an 
existence  among  the  common  mass  of  the  Roman  population, 
and  then  comes  into  notice  and  consideration  among  the  Romans 
proper. 

This  beast  and  the  dragon  have  both  seven  heads  and  ten 
horns,  with  this  difference,  that  on  the  dragon  the  seven  heads 
are  crowned,  but  the  horns  are  without  crowns,  while  on  the 
beast  the  horns  are  crowned,  and  the  heads  have  on  thtem,  the 
name  or  names  of  blasphemy. 

The  seven  heads  and  the  ten  horns,  identify  this  corporation 
of  men  in  their  government,  to  a  certain  extent  with  that  of  the 
pagan  Romans. 

The  meaning  of  these  seven  heads  and  ten  horns,  is  given  in 
the  seventeenth  chapter,  and  therefore,  they  will  not,  at  present, 
be  made  the  subject  of  any  further  comment,  than  that  of 
remarking  that  the  seven  heads  signify  seven  different  kinds 
of  government,  which  at  different  times  have  ruled  in  the 
Roman  world ;  while  the  ten  horns  represent  the  ten  different 
powers  or  states,  which  upon  the  breaking  up  of  the  Latin  or 
Western  empire,  established  themselves  among  the  Roman 
population,  and  became  part  of  the  new  corporation. 

The  beast  was  in  form  and  perhaps  in  color  like  a  leopard, 
with  the  exception  of  its  feet  and  mouth,  its  feet  were  those  of 
a  bear  and  its  mouth  that  of  a  lion.  The  leopard  is  remarkable 
for  symmetry  of  form  and  beauty  of  color.  Perhaps  the  leopard 
was  used  by  Daniel  to  represent  the  Greeks,  because,  as  a  peo- 
ple they  excelled  in  the  admiration  and  cultivation  of  beautiful 
statuary  and  painting,  and  were  noted  for  their  taste  and  art  in 
this  respect,  and  for  the  use  which  they  made  of  this  taste  and 
art  in  representing  and  honouring  by  beautiful  images  and  pic- 


117 

tures,  those  deceased  men  and  women  whom  they  invoked  as 
demons  or  mediators.  May  it  not  he  that  because  the  new  or 
modern  Latin  corporation  followed  the  Greeks  in  this  kind  of 
worship,  that  it  is  represented  by  a  beast  in  form  and  color  like 
a  leopard.  This  kind  of  worship  was  authoritatively  established 
in  the  Catholic  church  by  the  Greek  Romans,  with  the  co-ope- 
ration of  the  bishop  and  church  of  Rome,  and  eventually,  with 
the  acquiescence  and  concurrence  of  the  Latins  in  general. 

The  feet  are  those  of  a  bear.  The  bear,  in  the  book  of 
Daniel,  represents  the  corporation  of  the  Medes  and  Persians. 
The  bear  tears  in  pieces  with  savage  ferocity,  an  object  of 
resentment,  which  comes  within  its  reach  and  power.  The 
Medo  Persians,  in  their  administration  of  law  and  justice,  were 
notorious  for  their  severe  punishment  of  rebels  and  opposers. 
The  casting  of  the  enemies  of  Daniel  with  their  wives  and  chil- 
dren, into  the  lion's  den,  is  an  instance  of  the  severity  of  their 
penal  inflictions. 

This  penal  severity  to  rebels  and  opposers,  is  a  striking  trait 
of  character  in  this  modern  Latin  corporation. 

The  mouth  of  the  beast  was  that  of  a  lion,  the  animal  sym- 
bolic of  the  Assyrians  or  Babylonians.  The  mouth  of  the  lion, 
or  speech  of  the  lion,  denotes  the  language  of  despotism — lan- 
guage, which  inspires  terror  and  overawes  into  abject  submission. 
And  such  has  been  in  its  nature  and  effects,  the  language  of  the 
Latin  Catholic  community,  whenever  it  has  opened  its  mouth 
and  uttered  its  doctrines  and  commands. 

And  the  dragon  gave  him  his  power  and  his  seat  and  great 
authority.  The  new,  the  modern,  succeeds,  not  only  to  the  force 
aud  a  large  share  of  the  jurisdiction  and  influence  vacated  by 
the  ancient  corporation,  but  also  to  the  seat  or  capitol.  It  is 
common  to  call  the  capitol  of  a  country,  the  seat  of  government. 
And  as  the  modern  Latin  corporation  possesses  in  Rome,  a  city 
sanctioned  by  antiquity  and  the  lingering  sentiments  and  habits 
of  the  people,  as  the  seat  of  supreme  power  and  influence. 

11 


118 

And  I  saw  one  of  his  heads  as  it  were,  wounded  to  death, 
(mortally  wounded)  and  his  deadly  wound  was  healed. 

After  the  division  of  the  Roman  empire  into  two  states  under 
two  distinct  emperors,  they  began  to  be  distinguished  from  each 
other  by  the  terms  Greek  and  Latin,  while  both  claimed  the 
name  of  Roman. 

The  western  was  called  the  Latin  empire,  while  the  eastern 
was  called  the  Greek ;  the  one  having  Rome  for  the  capitol,  and 
the  other  Constantinople  or  new  Rome  ;  the  former,  continuing 
the  use  of  the  Latin  language,  as  the  language  of  law  and  gov- 
ernment, and  the  other,  in  the  course  of  time,  discontinuing  the 
use  of  the  Latin  for  that  of  the  Greek. 

The  head  that  was  wounded  and  whose  wound  appeared  to  be 
mortal,  was  the  imperial,  autocratic  government,  founded  by 
Diocletian  and  perpetuated  by  the  Latin  empire  down  to  Augus- 
tulus.  Odoacer,  a  barbarian  king,  having  made  a  conquest  of 
Rome  and  of  a  great  part  of  Italy,  forced  Augustulus  not  only 
to  resign  the  imperial  office,  but  in  his  resignation  to  abolish  the 
very  office  of  western  or  Latin  emperor. 

With  the  concurrence  of  the  emperor  and  senate,  and  by  the 
command  of  the  barbarian  king,  the  office  was  abolished  and 
Odoacer  governed  as  patrician  or  lieutenant  of  the  Greek  empe- 
ror. Theodosio,  the  successor  of  Odoacer,  governed  under  the 
same  title.  The  imperial  head  now  seemed  mortally  wounded, 
though  it  was  not  so  fatally  wounded  in  reality  j  the  wound  was 
not  mortal  but  was  afterwards  healed,  and  the  Latin  corporation 
continued  to  live  in  this  wounded  state  until  the  imperial  office 
was  made  whole  in  the  person  of  Charlemagne.  The  imperial 
office  was  not  entirely  abolished  by  the  barbarians,  but  only  par- 
tially. It  continued  partially  abolished  until  Charlemagne,  after 
governing  Rome  under  the  subordinate  and  dependent  title  of 
patrician,  assumed  the  supreme  and  independent  title  of  empe- 
ror. 

Among  the  several  principles  of  civilization,  says  Guizot, 


119 

which  survived  the  destruction  of  the  Latin  empire,  was  the 
remembrance  of  the  emperor,  the  idea  of  imperial  majesty  and 
of  absolute  power  attached  to  the  name  of  emperor.  The  name 
of  the  empire,  the  remembrance  of  that  great  and  glorious  soci- 
ety, still  dwelt  in  the  memory  of  many,  and  especially  among 
the  senators  of  cities,  bishops,  priests,  and  all  those  who  could 
trace  their  origin  to  the  Roman  world.  Among  the  barbarians 
themselves  or  their  barbarian  ancestors,  many  had  witnessed  the 
greatness  of  the  Roman  empire — they  had  served  in  its  armies 
— they  had  conquered  it.  The  image,  the  name  of  Roman 
civilization  dazzled  them,  they  felt  a  desire  to  imitate  it,  to  bring 
it  back  again,  to  preserve  some  portion  of  it An  affec- 
tionate attachment  for  the  empire,  was,  for  a  long  time  preserved 
in  the  Romish  church.  Hence,  when  she  had  succeeded  in  con- 
verting the  barbarians,  she  endeavoured  to  re-establish  the  em- 
pire ;  she  called  upon  the  barbarian  kings,  she  conjured  them 
to  become  Roman  emperors — to  assume  the  privilege  of  Roman 
emperors,  to  enter  into  the  same  relation  with  the  church  which 
had  existed  between  her  and  the  Roman  empire.  This  was  the 
great  object  for  which  the  bishops  of  the  fifth  and  sixth  centu- 
ries laboured,  and  which  they  thought  they  had  accomplished 
when  Charlemagne  in  the  west,  assumed  the  title  of  Roman 
emperor. 

On  the  festival  of  Christmas,  (says  Gibbon,)  and  in  the  last 
year  of  the  eighth  century,  Charlemagne  appeared  in  the  church 
of  St.  Peter,  and,  to  gratify  the  vanity  of  Rome,  he  had  ex- 
changed the  simple  dress  of  his  country  for  the  habit  of  a  patri- 
cian. 

After  the  celebration  of  the  holy  mysteries,  Leo  suddenly 
placed  a  precious  crown  on  his  head  and  the  dome  resounded 
with  the  acclamations  of  the  people,  long  life  and  victory  to 
Charles,  the  most  pious  Augustus,  crowned  by  God,  the  great 
and  pacific  emperor  of  the  Romans. 

The  head  and  body  of  Charlemagne  were  consecrated  by  the 
royal  unction  ;  after  the  example  of  the  Caesars,  he  was  saluted 


120 

or  adored  by  the  pontiff;  his  coronation  oath  represents  a  pro- 
mise to  maintain  the  faith  and  privileges  of  the  church,  and  the 
first  fruits  were  paid  in  his  rich  offerings  to  the  shrine  of  the 
apostle. 

The  healing  of  the  wounds  which  the  Latin  corporation  had 
received  in  its  head,  led  the  Romans  to  regard  it  as  an  extraor- 
dinary and  wonderful  corporation.  And  all  the  world  wondered 
after  the  beast — all  the  Roman  population  were  surprised  and 
delighted  to  see  this  great  corporation  thus  restored  to  life  and 
vigor. 

And  they  worshipped  the  dragon  which  gave  power  unto  the 
beast.  They  venerated  the  old  Pagan  corporation  for  the  power 
which  had  been  derived  from  it  to  the  new  corporation.  They 
fondly  cherished  and  respected  the  absolute  power  which  the 
old  corporation  had  left  for  the  new.  And  they  worshipped  the 
beast.  They  cherished  and  respected  the  new  corporation,  say- 
ing, who  is  like  unto  the  beast,  what  corporation  is  like  this 
one  ?  Who  is  able  to  make  war  with  the  beast  ?  What  cor- 
poration is  able  to  compete  with  it — can  prevail  over  it  and  take 
away  its  power  and  rule. 

5th  verse.  "  And  there  was  given  unto  him  a  mouth  speaking 
great  things  and  blasphemies — in  the  words  of  Daniel  he  shall 
speak  great  words  against  the  Most  High  or  as  the  Most  High." 

This  corporation  will  declare  its  will  and  issue  its  decrees  and 
laws  in  the  great  name  and  authority  of  God,  and  thus  profane 
that  great  name  and  authority.  And  power  was  given  him  to 
continue,  to  act,  to  flourish,  to  domineer  for  forty-two  months, 
one  thousand  two  hundred  and  sixty  days — one  thousand  two 
hundred  and  sixty  years. 

6th  verse.  "  And  he  opened  his  mouth  to  blaspheme  against 
God,  to  blaspheme  his  name  and  his  tabernacle  and  them  that 
dwell  (tabernacle)  in  heaven." 

The  name  of  God  stands  here  for  his  authority,  the  tabernacle 
of  God  for  his  worship,  and  they  that  dwell  or  tabernacle  in 
heaven,  for  those  who  minister  in  divine  service — the  Christian 


121 

ministry.  To  blaspheme  is  to  speak  to  the  prejudice  of  sacred 
persons  or  things,  and  to  pervert  divine  authority  to  the  sanction 
of  error  and  evil.  In  teaching  the  doctrine  of  transubstantia- 
tion  as  the  truth  of  God,  this  corporation  has  blasphemed  the 
authority,  the  worship  and  the  ministers  of  God. 

It  blasphemes  the  name  or  authority  of  God  when  it  claims 
for  this  doctrine  the  sanction  of  the  Holy  Ghost;  when  it 
teaches  this  commandment  of  men  to  be  a  doctrine  of  God, 
alleging  divine  authority  for  one  of  the  most  absurd  and  mon- 
strous tenets  ever  proposed  to  human  credulity.  In  this  doc- 
trine too,  the  worship  or  tabernacle  of  God  is  blasphemed,  by 
converting  the  most  sacred  symbols  of  our  religion  into  objects 
of  idolatrous  worship. 

When  the  bread  and  wine  in  the  Lord's  Supper  are  declared 
to  be  transubstantiated  into  the  body  and  blood  and  soul  and 
divinity  of  Christ,  and  are  required  to  be  worshipped  accord- 
ingly, then  the  human  nature  of  Christ  in  which  God  the  word 
tabernacled  among  us  is  spoken  of  falsely  and  to  its  prejudice, 
and  the  most  sacred  part  of  Christian  worship  is  blasphemed 
and  turned  into  idolatry.  The  sacrifice  of  the  mass  in  which 
the  priest  offers  Christ  for  the  living  and  the  dead  to  have  remis- 
sion of  pain  or  guilt,  is  surely  a  blasphemous  fable  and  a  dan- 
gerous deceit.  In  this  doctrine  too,  the  Christian  ministry  is 
blasphemed.  To  allege  for  them  power  to  make  God  out  of 
bread  and  wine,  is  to  allege  for  them  fictitious  and  impious 
authority  to  the  prejudice  of  their  real  authority. 

The  ministers  of  Christ  are  also  blasphemed  when  after  their 
death  they  are  sometimes  canonized  and  made  mediators,  and 
invoked  as  such,  in  presence  of  their  images. 

The  doctrine  of  transubstantiation  is  the  undisputed  doctrine 
of  this  corporation,  being  established  by  the  decrees  of  councils, 
ratified  by  popes,  and  universally  received. 

7th.  And  it  was  given  unto  him  to  make  war  with  the  saints 
and  overcome  them. 

The  saints  here  mean  the  remnant  of  professed  Christians, 
11* 


122 

who,  in  the  different  Roman  communities,  were  preserved  in  a 
pure  faith  and  worship  amidst  the  general  apostacy.  The  over- 
coming of  these  Christians  implies,  that  they  will  he  successfully 
opposed  so  as  to  be  kept  in  a  state  of  depression.  By  the  aid 
of  emperors  and  kings,  of  crusades  against  heretical  commu- 
nities, of  the  inquisition  and  other  means,  the  Roman  Catholic 
Church  has  hitherto  prevailed  over  those  who  dissent  from  its 
idolatrous  worship. 

And  power  was  given  him  over  all  kindreds  and  tongues  and 
nations.  This  corporation  shall  succeed  in  subjecting  to  its 
power  and  worship  the  pagan  and  heathen  nations  of  the  Latin 
world. 

8th  verse.  And  all  that  dwell  upon  the  earth  shall  worship 
him,  whose  names  are  not  written  in  the  book  of  life  of  the  Lamb 
slain,  from  the  foundation  of  the  earth. 

All  that  dwell  upon  the  earth,  (holy  land,)  all  of  Latin  Chris- 
tianity, with  the  exception  of  the  minority,  who  adhere  to  the 
one  only  Mediator  and  sacrifice,  and  whose  title  to  eternal  life 
is  recognised  in  heaven,  will  render  respect  and  submission  to 
this  divinity  of  power. 

9th  verse.  If  any  man  have  an  ear  let  him  hear.  Let  him 
mark  well  what  ha3  just  been  said.  Let  him  mark  well 
and  understand,  that  they  are  not  the  faithful,  but  the  cor- 
rupt Christians  in  the  Latin  world  who  will  glory  in  this  long 
successful  corporation.  And  let  him  be  assured  that  it  is  des- 
tined for  destruction;  that  it  is  not  to  be  victorious  for  ever; 
that  its  victorious  career,  though  long  is  not  eternal ;  that  he 
(10th  verse)  that  leadeth  into  captivity  shall  go  into  captivity; 
that  he  that  killeth  with  the  sword  must  be  killed  with  the 
sword.  Here  is  the  patience  and  the  faith  of  the  saints.  Here, 
in  this  prediction  and  assurance  of  the  captivity  and  end  of  this 
mighty  corporation,  let  the  ministry  who  profess  and  practice  a 
pure  Christianity,  take  encouragement  to  bear  patiently  with 
the  violent  and  persecuting  measures  of  the  majority,  and  perse- 
vere in  their  dissent  and  protestation,  knowing  that  their  per- 


123 

secuted  and  depressed  cause  will  eventually  be  victorious  and 
obtain  the  ascendancy. 

Of  the  two  Catholic  corporations,  Latin  and  Greek,  which  the 
Roman  empire  divided,  we  kno#  by  several  marks,  that  the  one 
described  in  this  chapter  must  be  the  Latin  and  not  the  Greek. 

It  was  in  the  Latin  imperial  corporation  in  which  sprang  up 
the  ten  predicted  powers  or  States.  It  was  the  Latin  imperial 
corporation  whose  head  was  apparently  wounded  to  death  in  the 
person  of  Augustulus,  and  was  healed  in  the  person  of  Char- 
lemagne. And  it  is  this  corporation  whose  name,  Lateinos, 
when  the  Greek  letters  which  compose  it  are  taken  for  numerical 
figures,  and  are  added  together,  amounts  to  six  hundred  and 
sixty-six,  and  this  name  is  also  the  name  of  a  man.  But  we 
are  here  anticipating  what  will  be  explained  when  we  come  to 
the  last  verse  of  the  chapter. 

The  one  thousand  two  hundred  and  sixty  years  of  the  flourish- 
ing of  this  modern  Latin  corporation,  probably  began  in  the 
eighth  century.  According  to  the  prophet  Daniel,  the  little 
Roman  State  or  power  was  to  be  the  presiding  power  and  State 
in  this  modern  Latin  corporation,  and  during  the  period  men- 
tioned, was  to  possess  supreme  power  over  the  people  of  God, 
over  laws  and  over  times,  (festivals,  the  calendar.) 

In  the  latter  half  of  the  eighth  century,  Pepin,  the  Mayor  of 
France,  with  the  sanction  and  authority  of  the  Bishop  of  Rome, 
was  invested  with  the  royal  title  and  authority  in  place  of 
Childene,  who  was  deposed  for  the  purpose.  In  speaking  of 
this  event  and  of  the  power  and  influence  which  Rome  then 
began  to  exercise  in  the  Latin  or  western  world,  Gibbon  uses 
language  to  the  same  effect  with  that  in  which  Daniel  foretells 
the  supremacy  of  the  Roman  State  at  this  period.  The  words 
of  Daniel  are,  that  they  (the  saints,  and  times  and  laws)  shall 
be  given  into  his  hands  (the  Roman  State  and  see)  during  the 
one  thousand  two  hundred  and  sixty  years;  while  the  words  of 
Gibbon  are :  "  Under  the  sacerdotal  monarchy  of  St.  Peter,  the 
"  nations  began  to  resume  the  practice  of  seeking  on  the  banks 


124 

"  of  the  Tiber  (Rome)  their  kings,  their  laws,  and  the  oracles  of 
"  their  fate." 

The  Latins,  or  Franks,  under  Charles  Martel,  in  the  year  732, 
gained  a  great  victory  over  the^Iahomedans,  and  saved  the  west 
of  Europe  from  falling  under  the  Mahomedan  power  and  religion. 
About  this  time  Rome  and  Italy,  refusing  to  abandon  their  vener- 
able images  at  the  command  of  the  Greek  emperor,  began  that 
separation  from  the  Greeks  which  was  consummated  by  the 
translation  of  the  empire  to  Charlemagne.  About  the  same 
time  also  one  of  the  popes,  in  an  epistle  addressed  to  the  Greek 
emperor,  boasts  that  all  the  kingdoms  of  the  west  regarded  St. 
Peter  as  God  upon  earth,  and  presented  their  homage  to  the 
viceregent  of  Christ.  In  the  year  732,  in  a  council  of  Lateran 
called  by  the  pope,  the  relative  worship  of  images  was  authorita- 
tively established  among  the  Romans,  and  Rome  and  the  Latins 
bagan  their  independence,  and  their  disregard  of  Greek  rule  and 
authority.  Perhaps  the  year  732  is  as  early  a  date  as  we  may 
fix  upon  to  begin  the  flourishing  period  of  the  modern  Latin 
corporation.  In  that  year  this  corporation  began  to  manifest 
its  victorious  physical  power  to  the  world,  and  to  come  into 
notice  and  consideration  among  the  Romans  proper. 


125 


DISCOURSE  X. 


Key.  xiii.  11—18. 


"And  I  beheld  another  beast  coming  up  out  of  the  earth,  and  he  had 
two  horns  like  a  lamb,  and  he  spake  as  a  dragon. 

"  And  he  exerciseth  all  the  power  of  the  first  beasts  before  him,  and 
causeth  the  earth  and  them  which  dwelt  therein  to  worship  the  first 
beast,  whose  deadly  wound  was  healed.  And  he  doeth  great  wonders 
so  that  he  maketh  fire  come  down  from  heaven  on  the  earth  in  the 
sight  of  men.  And  deceiveth  them  that  dwell  on  the  earth,  by  the 
means  of  those  miracles  which  he  had  power  to  do  in  the  sight  of  the 
beast ;  saying  to  them  that  dwell  on  the  earth  that  they  should  make 
an  image  to  the  beast  which  had  the  wound  by  a  sword,  and  did  live. 
And  he  had  power  to  give  life  unto  the  image  of  the  beast,  that  the 
image  of  the  beast  should  both  speak,  and  cause  that  as  many  as  would 
not  worship  the  image  of  the  beast  should  be  killed.  And  he  causeth 
all,  both  small  and  great,  rich  and  poor,  free  and  bond,  to  receive  a 
mark  in  their  right  hand  or  in  their  foreheads.  And  that  no  man 
might  buy  or  sell,  save  he  that  had  the  mark,  or  the  name  of  the  beast, 
or  the  number  of  his  name.  Here  is  wisdom.  Let  him  that  hath  un- 
derstanding count  the  number  of  the  beast ;  for  it  is  the  number  of  a 
man ;  and  his  number  is  six  hundred  threescore  and  six  (666)." 

The  beast  here  described  comes  up  not  out  of  the  sea  but  out 
of  the  land,  to  signify  that  the  corporation  which  the  beast 
represents  is  to  come  into  life  among  the  Romans  proper.  It 
is  the  Roman  corporation  proper  as  distinct  from  the  Roman  or 
Latin  corporation  Catholic.  And  it  is  the  Roman  corporation 
proper  as  a  teaching  corporation.  Its  coming  up  out  of  the 
land  determines  it  to  be  Roman.  Its  horns  like  those  of  a  lamb 
determine  that  its  power  is  apparently  Christian — intellectual, 
moral  power — power  of  a  meek  and  mild  nature.  And  while 
the  place  of  its  origin  and  the  nature  of  its  power  determine  it 
to  be  the  Roman  Church,  its  speaking  as  a  dragon  determines 
it  to  be  the  Roman  Church  in  its  character  of  a  false  teacher. 
To  speak  as  a  dragon  is  to  speak  and  teach  falsely  of  God,  as 


126 

the  old  serpent  did  in  the  garden  of  Eden.  And  hence  this 
beast  is  subsequently  called  the  false  prophet  or  teacher. 

Joshua  was"  required  in  all  difficulties  needing  the  council 
and  direction  of  God  to  stand  before  the  high  priest  who  was  to 
ask  counsel  and  direction  for  him,  after  the  judgment  of  Urim 
before  the  Lord,  and  that  counsel  and  direction  both  he  and  all 
the  children  of  Israel  were  bound  to  follow. 

The  revelation  of  the  counsel  of  God  by  Urim  and  Thumim 
was  vouchsafed  only  to  the  high  priest,  and  was  sought  only  in 
important  cases  of  doubt  and  difficulty.  When  the  mode  of 
revelation  by  Urim  and  Thumim  ceased,  God  raised  up  a  suc- 
cession of  prophets  that  the  people  of  Israel  might  have  recourse 
to  them  for  divine  counsel  and  direction,  especially  in  uncertain 
and  disputed  points  of  doctrine  and  law. 

The  Roman  corporation  or  Church  has  been  exercising  an 
office  and  mission  of  this  nature,  for  the  Catholic  corporation, 
for  many  hundred  years  past. 

As  the  mother  and  head  of  all  other  churches,  she  has  re- 
quired docility  and  submission  to  her  teaching,  to  her  nurture 
and  admonitions,  from  all  Christian  communities  in  the  world. 
Whether  the  power  of  desire  and  infallible  teaching  resides  in 
the  see  of  Rome  as  distinct  from  the  Church  of  Rome,  or  whe- 
ther in  both  in  their  united  capacity  it  is  a  matter  of  history 
that  the  Church  of  Rome  as  founded  by  St.  Peter  and  possess- 
ing his  see  by  succession,  has  claimed  to  fce  the  head  and 
mother  of  all  other  Churches,  and  has  performed  for  Roman 
Christendom  what  the  Jewish  high  priests  and  afterwards  a 
succession  of  prophets  did  for  the  Church  of  Israel.  Roman 
Catholics  have  sought  unto  the  see  and  Church  of  Rome  for 
divine  authoritative  instruction  and  judgment,  as  the  people  of 
Israel  in  ancient  days  sought  unto  the  high  priest  and  prophets. 

The  Apostolic  see  and  Church  have  been  for  many  ages  in 
the  habit  of  deciding  for  all  Churches  in  communion  with  Rome 
their  controversies  and  difficulties,  and  have  required  their  deci- 
sions to  be  received  as  authoritative  and  final.     Gregory  the 


127 

seventh  gives  us  a  correct  description  of  this  high  prerogative  in 
the  following  language.  (Epist.  21,  lib.  4,  Concil.  torn.  20,  p. 
332.)  "  The  holy  fathers  receiving  with  great  veneration  and 
preserving  this  prerogative,  sovereignly  conferred  upon  the 
blessed  Peter  the  prince  of  the  apostles  by  a  heavenly  decree, 
have  in  their  general  councils  and  other  meetings  and  acts, 
denominated  the  holy  Roman  Church  the  universal  mother,  and 
received  evidences  of  it  in  doctrinal  decrees  for  the  confirmation 
of  the  faith  and  in  judicial  decisions,  agreeing  in  this  with  one 
voice  that  all  great  affairs  and  especially  the  judgment  of  all 
ecclesiastical  causes,  should  be  referred  to  it  as  the  mother  and 
head,  and  that  no  one  should  or  can  appeal  from  it,  nor  reverse 
or  reconsider  its  decisions." 

In  this  high  office  and  prerogative  the  see  and  Church  of 
Rome  have  performed  the  part  of  a  false  teacher  and  prophet, 
and  have  spoken  falsely  concerning  God.  In  teaching  that 
deceased  men  and  women  may  consistently  with  the  will  of  God 
be  invoked  as  demons  or  mediators  with  God,  and  that  we  may 
make  use  of  images  in  our  religious  worship,  and  bow  down 
before  them,  the  Roman  Church  as  plainly  contradicts  the 
revealed  will  and  commandments  of  God  as  the  serpent  did 
when  he  taught  our  first  parents  that  they  might  eat  of  the  for- 
bidden fruit,  and  that  they  should  not  surely  die  by  so  doing, 
but  should  become  wise  to  know  good  and  evil.  In  the  long 
controversy  on  image  worship  in  the  eighth  and  ninth  centuries, 
the  Church  and  bishops  of  Rome  took  a  leading  part,  and  did 
not  give  over  their  exertions  until  they  had  made  the  use  and 
adoration  of  images  in  divine  service  a  law  of  the  Catholic 
Church,  Greek  and  Latin. 

Indeed,  in  all  the  gross  and  idolatrous  corruptions  introduced 
into  the  Catholic  Church,  the  Church  of  Rome  has  taken  the 
lead,  and  acted  as  the  prime  teacher  and  deceiver.  The  Church 
of  Rome  acts  the  part  of  a  false  prophet  in  teaching  the  Roman 
population  to  do  homage  to  the  Catholic  corporation,  as  a  cor- 
poration possessed  of  divine  authority. 


128 

And  further,  the  Church  of  Rome  not  merely  preaches  up 
but  exercises  the  divine  authority  of  the  Catholic  corporation, 
for  so  it  reads  in  the  12th  verse.  And  he  exerciseth  all  the 
power  of  the  first  beast  before  him,  and  causeth  the  earth  and 
them  that  dwell  therein,  to  worship  the  first  beast  whose  deadly 
wound  was  healed. 

The  Roman  corporation  exerciseth  the  divine  authority  of  the 
Catholic  corporation  with  the  looking  on  and  tacit  consent  of 
the  latter. 

These  two  corporations  are  in  close  friendship  and  union,  and 
mutually  sustain  each  other.  The  Roman  corporation  for  being 
allowed  by  the  Catholic  corporation  to  exercise  Catholic  autho- 
rity, preaches  up  the  sacred  nature  and  divinity  of  that  autho- 
rity, and  the  Catholic  allows  the  local  corporation  to  act  in  its 
stead,  and  with  its  authority,  from  respect  to  the  latter  as  the 
seat  of  inspired,  divine,  infallible  teaching. 

Verse  13th.  And  he  (the  Roman  corporation)  doeth  great 
wonders,  (miracles,  acts  of  divine  authority,)  so  that  he  maketh 
fire  come  down  from  heaven  on  the  earth  in  the  sight  of  men, 
commands  penal  inflictions  to  .come  down  from  the  high  places 
of  power  and  influence  upon  the  subject  population  as  a  spec- 
tacle to  religious  worshippers  to  excite  their  fears  and  overawe 
them  into  submission  and  devotion. 

The  14th  verse.  And  he  deceiveth  them  that  dwell  on  the 
earth  (land)  by  means  of  those  miracles  which  he  had  power  to 
do  in  the  sight  of  the  beast,  (he  deceiveth  the  idolatrous  Chris- 
tian worshippers  by  those  acts  of  divine  authority  which  he  had 
the  ability  to  do  with  the  looking  on  and  consent  of  the  Catholic 
body),  saying  unto  them  that  dwell  upon  the  earth,  (land)  that 
they  should  make  an  image  to  (or  for)  the  beast  which  had  the 
wound  by  a  sword  and  did  live,  instructing  the  idolatrous 
Christians  that  they  should  fabricate  some  form  of  power  to 
represent  the  divinity,  the  divine  authority  of  the  Catholic 
body. 

15th  verse.  And  he  had  power  to  give  life  unto  the  image  of 


129 

the  beast,  so  that  the  image  of  the  beast  could  both  speak  and 
cause  that  as  many  as  would  not  worship  the  image  of  the  beast 
should  be  killed. 

The  Roman  corporation  was  able  to  put  self-acting  power  into 
this  representative  fictitious  form  of  divine  authority,  so  that  the 
latter  could  enforce  obedience  and  submission  by  a  personal 
power  reaching  to  a  cutting  off  or  excommunication. 

To  make  an  image  to  or  for  the  beast  does  not  necessarily 
mean  that  the  image  was  made  in  the  shape  of  the  beast.  It 
was  something  fabricated  to  represent  or  stand  for  the  beast  in 
his  divinity  or  divine  power — to  represent  him  as  an  object  of 
worship.  An  image  made  for  worship  is  regarded  as  the  repre- 
sentative of  some  divinity  in  his  invisible  power  and  influence. 

Under  the  old  Roman  empire  images  were  used  to  represent 
the  emperor  in  his  sacred  supreme  authority,  and  primitive 
Christians  were  sometimes  punished  for  refusing  certain  acts  of 
ceremonial  worship  before  these  imperial  images. 

We  read  that  Adam  was  made  in  the  image  of  God.  He 
was  not  the  image  of  God  in  respect  to  his  form  or  body,  but  in 
respect  to  his  dominion  and  other  properties.  The  word  image 
is  sometimes  used  in  the  sense  of  a  representative  of  the  au- 
thority of  another.  In  this  sense  Adam  was  the  image  of  God. 
In  this  sense  the  viceroy  is  the  image  of  the  king.  And  we 
may  attach  this  sense  to  the  image  of  the  beast,  and  define  it  to 
represent  in  a  sensible  and  active  form  the  divine  power  of  the 
heart. 

It  will  be  noticed,  that  the  same  divine  power  is  exhibited  to 
us  as  connected  with  each  one  of  three  living  things — that  of 
the  first,  beast ;  that  of  the  second,  heart,  and  that  of  the  ani- 
mated image.  This  divine  power  is  not  divided  among  the 
three,  but  exists  in  its  unity  and  plenitude  in  each  one  of  the 
three — as  one  and  the  same  power  it  belongs  to  the  first  beast; 
is  with  his  consent  exercised  by  the  second  beast;  and  is  actively, 
and  not  in  mere  dumb  show  or  theory,  represented  by  the  image. 
The  whole  is  common  to  each  one  of  three  forms — that  of  the 

12 


•-"'.T<    »    '... 


130 

Catholic  corporation,  that  of  the  Roman  or  local  corporation, 
and  what  can  the  third  form  he  hut  that  of  the  papacy  in  its 
catholic  character.  The  Pope  is  the  image  or  representative  of 
the  Catholic  Church  in  the  plenitude  of  her  corporate  divine 
authority.  And  hence  he  has  equalled  his  authority  to  that  of 
Catholic  councils,  and  has  opposed  and  exalted  himself  ahove 
every  ruler  on  earth — ahove  all  that  is  called  God  or  that  is 
worshipped.  The  fashioning  and  animating  this  extraordinary 
image  was  a  work  of  the  eighth  and  ninth  centuries,  though  the 
material  or  papacy  had,  in  a  rude,  imperfect  form,  a  previous 
existence. 

According  to  Pope  Pius  the  2d,  the  Roman  Church,  hefore 
the  time  of  Constantine  and  of  the  Nicene  council,  was  of  no 
consideration.  After  the  alliance  of  the  church  with  the  State, 
there  was  a  certain  degree  of  precedence  conferred  upon  the  see 
and  church  of  the  imperial  city.  Three  prelates  had  before  this 
enjoyed  a  certain  degree  of  pre-eminence  over  the  rest  of  the 
bishops,  viz. :  the  Bishops  of  Rome,  Antioch,  and  Alexandria ; 
and  to  these  the  Bishop  of  Constantinople  was  added  when  the 
imperial  residence  was  transferred  to  that  city.  These  four  pre- 
lates answered  to  the  four  pretorian  prefects  created  by  Con- 
stantine, and  it  is  possible  that  in  this  very  century  they  were 
distinguished  by  the  Jewish  title  of  patriarchs.  Though  equal 
privileges  were  conferred  upon  these  four  patriarchs,  yet  the 
Roman  see  ranked  first,  and  the  see  of  Constantinople  second 
after  it.  It  was  not  long,  however,  before  a  jealousy  sprang  up 
between  these  two  sees  of  new  and  old  Rome.  And  the  bishops 
of  old  Rome  began  to  plead  claims  of  supremacy  for  their  see  as 
being  the  see  of  St.  Peter,  to  whom  had  been  confided  the  keys 
of  the  kingdom  of  heaven  in  an  especial  manner.  They  alleged 
that  this  high  authority  had  been  transmitted  from  St.  Peter  to 
the  bishops,  his  successors  in  this  see. 

In  the  year  588,  the  Greek  emperor  conferred  the  title  of 
Oecumenical,  or  universal,  upon  the  patriarch  of  Constantinople. 
Pelagius,  who  was  then  Bishop  of  Rome,  opposed  the  appliea- 


131 

tion  of  this  to  the  Bishop  of  Constantinople.  Gregory  the  Great, 
the  immediate  successor  of  Telagius,  renewed  the  opposition, 
and  writes  to  the  Greek  emperor  in  the  following  language  : 
"  The  direction  and  primacy  of  the  whole  Church  have  been 
given  to  St.  Peter,  yet  we  do  not  call  him  the  universal  apostle, 
and  yet  the  holy  man  John,  my  brother,  is  ambitious  to  be 
called  the  universal  bishop.  To  Constantina,  the  empress,  he 
complains  of  the  insult  which  had  been  offered  to  the  see  of 
Home;  and  while  he  confesses  that  the  sons  of  Gregory  have 
merited  such  chastisement,  he  reminds  the  empress  that  St. 
Peter,  at  least,  was  sinless,  and  undeserving  the  outrage  which 
had  been  offered  to  him. 

"If  at  first  the  sort  of  superiority  assumed  by  the  see  of 
"  Rome  was  founded  for  the  most  part  on  its  imperial  dignity, 
"  this  foundation  was  now  changed  for  one  of  a  more  spiritual 
"  nature,  admirably  calculated  to  impose  upon  the  ignorant 
"  proselytes,  and  the  name  of  St.  Peter  became  more  venerable 
"  than  of  Augustus  or  Trajan;  and  his  chair,  as  it  was  occupied 
"  by  the  successors  of  the  apostle  and  the  vicars  of  Christ,  in- 
"  spired  a  deeper  awe  into  the  blind  and  superstitious  multitude 
"  than  the  throne  of  all  the  Caesars.  At  the  death  of  Gregory 
"  the  great,  the  Bishop  of  Borne,  though  he  might  in  vain  dis- 
"  pute  with  the  patriarch  of  Constantinople  the  name  of  uni- 
"  versal  supremacy,  was  unquestionably  acknowledged  to  be  the 
'  leading  member  of  the  ecclesiastical  aristocracy  of  Europe,  the 
i '  spiritual  head  or  president  of  the  western  hierarchy. 

"  Roman  Catholic  writers  assert,  that  in  the  year  606,  the 
"  disputed  title  of  Oecumenical,  or  universal,  was  transferred 
"  from  the  Greek  to  the  Roman  patriarch  by  the  emperor  Pho- 
"  cas."  (Waddington.) 

But  the  temporalities  which,  in  the  eighth  century,  were  con- 
ferred upon  Rome  by  Pepin,  and  confirmed  by  Charlemagne, 
failed  not  to  give  great  additional  efficacy  to  her  spiritual  claims, 
claim,  which  she  had  already  advanced  with  some  boldness,  but 


132 

which  she  was  now  qualified  to  press,  if  so  disposed  to  press 
them,  to  the  last  extremity  of  usurpation. 

The  Romans  now  took  it  into  their  heads  to  make  the  Bishop 
of  Rome  the  representative  (the  image)  of  the  Catholic  Church, 
in  the  plenitude  of  her  divine  authority. 

"  After  the  time  of  Charlemagne,  as  if  impatient  of  the  tedious 
"  progress  of  gradual  usurpation,  the  spirit  of  papacy  called  into 
"  existence,  by  an  effort  of  amazing  audacity,  a  new  system  of 
"  government  and  a  new  code  of  principles,  which  led,  by  a 
"  single  step,  to  the  most  absolute  power.  The  false  decretals 
"  were  imposed  on  the  credulity  of  mankind.  Still  the  moment 
"  was  not  yet  arrived  in  which  it  was  possible  to  enforce  all  the 
"  rights  so  boldly  claimed  on  their  authority ;  and  though  some 
"  ground  was  gained  by  Pope  Nicholas  I.,  (died  867,)  their 
"  efforts  were  not  brought  into  full  operation  till  the  pontificate 
"  of  Gregory  VII.,  (1073—1086.")  Waddington,  Chap.  XIV. 
Ill- 
Adrian  the  first,  during  his  pontificate,  (772-795,)  brought 
to  public  notice,  certain  forged  instruments,  called  the  false 
decretals,  and  the  donation  of  Constantine.  They  have  been 
termed  the  two  magic  pillars  of  the  spiritual  and  temporal 
monarchy  of  the  Pope.  These  two  most  celebrated  monuments 
of  human  imposture  and  credulity,  which  were  put  forth  about 
the  conclusion  of  the  eighth  century,  were  immediately,  and 
universally  received  as  genuine.  "  Probably  they  were  the 
composition  of  some  monk  or  scribe  of  that  age.  Their  direct 
object,  was  the  unlimited  advancement  of  the  Roman  See ;  and 
for  that  purpose,  the  Decretals  furnished  the  spiritual,  the 
Donation,  the  temporal  authority ;  the  former,  professing  to  be 
a  compilation  of  the  epistles  and  decrees  of  primitive  popes  and 
early  emperors,  derived  from  the  first  ages,  the  ghostly  omnipo- 
tence of  Rome.  While  the  latter,  proclaimed  no  less,  than 
that  Constantine,  on  removing  the  seat  of  government  to  the 
east,  had  consigned  the  western  empire  to  the  temporal,  as  well 


133 

as  spiritual  government  of  the  Bishop  of  Rome.  Unbounded 
dominion  over  churches,  and  nations,  and  kings,  was  delegated 
to  the  successor  of  St.  Peter,  and  the  vicar  of  Christ.  It  was 
asserted,  that  the  original  deed  of  the  emperor  had  been  re- 
cently discovered ;  the  monstrous  forgery,  went  forth  and 
spread  itself  through  the  world  without  confutation,  seemingly 
without  suspicion ;  and  it  continued  for  above  six  hundred 
years,  to  form  the  most  prominent,  and  not  the  least  solid, 
among  the  bulwarks  of  papacy." — (Waddington.) 

Among  these  false  decretals  or  edicts  of  early  popes  and 
emperors,  was  an  edict  of  the  Emperor  Constantine.  It  reads, 
"  We,  together  with  our  Prefects,  the  Senate,  all  men  of  rank, 
and  the  whole  population  of  the  empire,  have  judged  it  useful, 
that  as  the  holy  Peter  is  seen  to  have  been  constituted  the  vicar 
of  the  Son  of  God  on  earth,  the  pontiffs  also,  who  are  successors 
of  that  prince  of  the  apostles,  should  obtain,  by  concession  from 
us  and  our  empire,  the  power  of  a  princely  rule,  more  ample 
than  our  imperial  serenity  possesses,  electing  that  prince  of  the 
apostles  and  his  successors,  assured  intercessors  for  us  with  God, 
and  we  decree,  that  the  Holy  Roman  Church,  shall  be  reverently 
honoured  like  our  imperial  power,  and  the  sacred  chair  of  the 
blessed  Peter,  more  exalted  than  our  earthly  imperial  throne, 
ascribing  to  it  an  imperial  power,  dignity,  strength,  and  merit 
of  honor ;  and  ordaining,  that  it  shall  have  dominion,  as  well 
over  the  principal  seats,  Antioch,  Alexandria,  Jerusalem,  and 
Constantinople,  as  over  all  the  Church  of  God  throughout  the 
world.  And  he  who  is  for  the  time,  Pontiff  of  the  Holy  Roman 
Church,  shall  be  superior,  and  prince  to  all  the  priests  of  the 
world,  and  whatever  shall  be  ordained,  in  order  to  the  honor  of 
God  aud  the  stability  of  the  faith  of  Christians,  shall  be  disposed 
by  his  judgment." 

These  forged  edicts  of  early  popes  and  emperors,  agree  in 
representing  the  bishop  of  the  Roman  city,  to  be  invested  with 
a  supreme  plenary  power  in  the  catholic  body  ;  they  teach,  that 

12* 


134 

without  the  command  or  consent  of  the  Pope,  no  council  could 
he  held — that  bishops  cannot  be  definitely  judged,  except  by 
the  pope — that  his  judgment  was  irreversible  and  final — that 
the  apostolical  seat  was  constituted  by  Christ,  the  hinge  and  head 
of  all  churches,  and  that  as  a  'door  hangs  and  turns  by  the 
hinges,  so  by  Christ's  appointment,  the  whole  Catholic  Church 
depends,  and  moves  on  the  authority  of  this  holy  See. 

"  The  wisest  and  most  impartial  among  the  Roman  Catholic 
"  writers,  not  only  acknowledge,  but  have  even  taken  pains  to 
"  demonstrate,  that  from  the  time  of  Louis  the  Debonaire, 
"  (ninth  century,)  the  ancient  rules  of  ecclesiastical  govern- 
"  ment  were  gradually  changed  in  Europe,  by  the  counsels  and 
"  instigation  of  the  Court  of  Rome,  and  new  laws  substituted 
"  in  their  place.  The  European  princes  suffered  themselves  to 
"  be  divested  of  the  supreme  authority  in  religious  matters, 
"  which  they  had  derived  from  Charlemagne ;  the  episcopal 
"  power  was  greatly  diminished,  and  even  the  authority  of  both 
"  provincial  and  general  councils  began  to  decline." 

The  Roman  pontiffs,  elate  with  their  overgrown  prosperity, 
and  the  daily  accessions  that  were  made  to  their  authority,  were 
eagerly  bent  upon  persuading  all,  and  had  indeed,  the  good  for- 
tune to  persuade  many,  that  the  Bishop  of  Rome,  was  consti- 
tuted by  Jesus  Christ,  supreme  legislator  and  judge  of  the 
Church  universal,  and  that,  therefore,  the  bishops  derived  all 
their  authority  from  the  pope,  nor  could  the  councils  determine 
anything  without  his  permission  and  consent.  In  order  to  gain 
credit  to  this  new  ecclesiastical  system,  so  different  from  the 
ancient  rules  of  Church  government,  and  to  support  the  haughty 
pretensions  of  the  pontiffs  to  supremacy  and  independence,  it 
was  necessary  to  produce  the  authority  of  ancient  deeds  to  stop 
the  mouths  of  those  who  were  disposed  to  set  bounds  to  their 
usurpations.  The  bishops  of  Rome  were  aware  of  this,  and  as 
those  means  were  deemed  the  most  lawful,  that  tended  best  to 
the  accomplishment  of  their  purposes,  they  employed  some  of 


135 

their  most  ingenious  and  zealous  partizans  in  forging  conven- 
tions, acts  of  councils,  epistles,  and  the  like  records,  by  which 
it  might  appear,  that  in  the  first  ages  of  the  Church,  the  Roman 
pontiffs  were  clothed  with  the  same  spiritual  majesty  and  su- 
preme authority  which  they  now  assumed.  Among  these  ficti- 
tious supports  of  the  papal  dignity,  the  famous  decretal  epistles, 
said  to  have  been  written  by  the  pontiffs  of  the  primitive  time, 
deserve  to  be  stigmatized. 

Gregory  the  Seventh,  in  the  seventh  century,  confidently 
appeals  to  those  false  decretals,  to  show  that  the  pope,  in  the 
catholicity  and  plenitude  of  his  power,  may,  by  his  sole  authority, 
condemn  and  excommunicate — that  the  apostolical  seat  has  the 
power,  without  the  concurrence  of  a  synod,  of  releasing  who- 
ever, by  an  unjust  synod,  has  been  condemned,  and  of  con- 
demning without  a  synod,  whoever  it  thinks  proper ;  and  this, 
by  the  sovereignty  which  Peter  held  by  the  word  of  Christ. 

Referring  to  these  false  decretals,  Gregory  says,  "  the  Popes 
Leo,  Virgil,  and  Gregory,  each  eminent  in  authority,  testify  in 
their  (false)  decrees,  almost  in  the  same  language,  that  the  holy 
Roman  Church  bestows  their  office  on  other  churches,  so  that 
they  are  called  to  a  part  in  the  care,  but  not  to  a  plenitude  of 
power ;  which  shows  clearly,  that  no  bishop  has  as  great  power 
given  him  over  his  own  flock,  as  the  apostolical  pontiff;  who, 
although  he  distributes  his  care  to  the  individual  bishops,  yet 
by  no  means  divests  himself  of  his  universal  and  sovereign 
power ;  just  as  a  king  does  not  diminish  his  regal  power,  by 
dividing  his  kingdom  among  different  dukes,  counts,  or  judges. 
As  then,  the  apostolical  lord  has  such  a  sovereign  power  over 
every  Church,  that  even  against  the  will  of  the  bishop,  he  may 
direct  anything  in  it,  according  to  the  canons,  who  can  deny 
that  he  can  condemn  every  where,  the  nations,  both  the  sub- 
jects of  bishops,  and  the  bishops  themselves,  who  condemn  the 
apostolical  command.  Every  one  who  desires  to  be  a  bishop, 
should  especially  teach   his  people,  that  they  should,  without 


136 

contradiction,  obey  the  canons  (the  forged)  of  the  holy  fathers 
which,  as  has  already  been  said,  enjoin  on  all,  a  supreme  obe- 
dience to  the  apostolic  seat.  Whoever  then,  would  render  an 
appropriate  obedience  to  his  own  legitimate  pastor,  must  also 
render  a  supreme  obedience  to  the  apostolical  lord." 

The  famous  Bernard,  nourished  in  the  twelfth  century.  In 
a  letter  addressed  to  Pope  Eugenius  III.,  he  gives  the  following 
description  of  the  catholicity — the  plenitude  and  supremacy  of 
papal  power.  "  Who  are  you  ?  A  mighty  priest,  the  highest 
pontiff.  You  are  the  first  among  bishops,  the  heir  of  the  apos- 
tles; in  primacy,  Abel;  in  government,  Noah ;  in  patriarchate, 
Abraham ;  in  order,  Melchizedeck ;  in  dignity,  Aaron ;  in 
authority,  Moses;  in  judgment,  Samuel;  in  power,  Peter;  in 
unction,  Christ.  You  are  he,  to  whom  the  keys  have  been 
delivered,  to  whom  the  flock  has  been  entrusted.  Others, 
indeed,  there  are,  who  are  door-keepers  of  heaven,  and  pastors 
of  sheep,  but  you  are  pre-eminently  so,  as  you  are  more  singu- 
larly distinguished  by  the  inheritance  of  both  characters.  They 
have  their  flocks  assigned  them,  each  one  his  own;  to  you,  the 
"whole  are  intrusted,  as  one  flock  to  one  shepherd,  neither  of  the 
sheep  only,  but  of  the  pastors  also  ;  you  alone,  are  the  pastor  of 
all.  Where  is  my  proof  of  this  ?  in  the  word  of  God.  For  to 
which,  I  say,  not  of  bishops,  but  of  apostles,  was  the  universal 
flock  so  positively  intrusted  ?  If  thou  lovest  me,  Peter,  feed 
my  sheep.  .  .  .  According  to  your  canons,  others  are  called  in 
to  a  share  of  the  duty,  you,  to  a  plenitude  of  power ;  the  power 
of  others  is  restrained  by  fixed  limits,  your's  is  extended,  even 
over  those  who  have  received  power  over  others.  Are  you  not 
able,  if  cause  arise,  to  exclude  a  bishop  from  heaven,  to  depose 
him  from  his  dignity,  and  even  to  consign  him  over  to  Satan  ? 
These,  your  privileges,  stand  unassailable,  both  through  the 
keys,  and  the  flock  which  has  been  confided  to  you." 

Here  we  have  in  the  pope  of  that  day,  the  fabricated  acting 
image,  or  representative  of  the  catholic  body,  in  the  plenitude 
of  catholic  divine  authority. 


Verses  16  and  17.  "  And  he  (the  Roman  beast,)  causeth 
all,  both  small  and  great,  rich  and  poor,  free  and  bond,  to 
receive  a  mark  in  their  right  hand,  or  in  their  foreheads.  And 
that  no  man  might  buy  or  sell,  save  he  that  had  the  mark,  or 
(either)  the  name  of  the  (catholic)  beast,  or  the  number  of  his 
name — the  name  open  and  manifest,  or  concealed  in  its  numer- 
ical value." 

Through  the  machinations  of  the  Church  of  Rome,  all,  of  what- 
ever rank,  means  or  condition,  are  made  to  pledge  themselves 
in  thought  and  deed,  the  obedient  servants  of  the  catholic  body, 
and  no  one,  unless  he  thus,  more  or  less,  openly  pledges  him- 
self, is  received  among  the  clergy,  and  allowed  to  exercise  the 
office  of  a  divine  or  teacher. 

Verse  18.  "Here  is  wisdom,  Let  him  that  hath  understand- 
ing, count  the  number  of  the  beast,  (the  catholic  body,)  for  it 
is  the  number  of  a  man  ;  and  his  number  is  six  hundred  three 
score  and  six." 

The  letters  which  spell  the  name  of  the  catholic  body,  must, 
when  taken  in  their  numerical  value  and  added  together,  make 
the  sum  of  six  hundred  and  sixty-six  ;  and  this  name  must  be 
the  name  of  some  man  or  ruler.  Ireneus,  a  bishop  of  the  second 
century,  determines  the  name  to  be  Lateinos,  a  king  from  whom 
the  Latins  derived  their  name. 

Ireneus  was  a  Greek,  and  an  eminent  Christian  minister. 
The  name  of  Lateinos,  (says  he,)  contains  the  number  of  six 
hundred  and  sixty-six.  And  it  is  very  likely,  because  the  last 
kingdom  is  so  called  ;  for  they  are  Latins  who  now  reign,  but 
in  this  we  will  not  glory. 

The  Greeks  used  the  letters  of  their  alphabet  to  represent 
numbers,  as  well  as  sounds.  The  first  letter  stood  for  one ; 
the  second  for  two  j  the  letter  I  stood  for  ten ;  then  the  next 
letter  stood  for  20,  and  the  next  for  30 ;  the  letter  R  stood  for 
100  ;  then  the  next  letter  stood  for  200,  and  the  next  for  300, 
and  so  on  to  the  last  letter,  which  stood  for  800. 


138 


L  stood  for  30, 

A 

1 

T 

300 

E 

5 

I 

10 

N 

50 

0 

70 

s 

200 

666 

Some  persons  have  objected  to  the  word  Lateinos,  because 
Ireneus  spells  it  with  ei,  instead  of  a  single  i,  but  an  educated 
Greek,  living  in  the  age  next  after  that  of  St.  John,  could  not 
have  been  mistaken  in  spelling  the  word — he  must  have  known 
that  his  manner  of  spelling  it,  was  common  to  his  day,  and  that 
of  St.  John. 

When  we  consider  that  this  corporation  must  be  one  of 
the  two  catholic  corporations,  eastern  and  western,  into  which 
the  old  Roman  empire  divided,  that  it  was  the  western  in  which 
appeared  the  ten  powers  or  states,  that  it  is  the  western  cor- 
poration which  speaks  in  the  Latin  language — that  it  is  distin- 
guished among  the  Greeks  by  the  name  of  Latin,  and  that  the 
Greek  letters  of  this  name,  taken  in  their  numerical  value,  make 
six  hundred  and  sixty-six,  we  can  have  no  doubt,  that  the 
catholic  corporation,  symbolically  described  and  named,  is  the 
Latin,  or  western,  and  not  the  Greek,  or  eastern. 

We  have  a  description  of  both  these  corporations  in  the  book 
of  Daniel ;  the  Latin  corporation  is  described  in  the  seventh 
chapter,  while  the  Greek  corporation  is  described  in  the  eighth 
chapter. 


139 


DISCOURSE   XI. 
Rev.  xiv. 

In  the  preceding  chapter  the  attention  of  the  Apostle  is  first 
directed  to  the  sea,  and  he  saw  a  heast  rise  out  of  the  sea.  This 
beast  is  the  Latin  body  corporate,  emerging  from  the  more  rude 
or  the  western  population.  The  Apostle's  attention  in  that 
chapter  is  next  directed  to  the  land,  and  he  beholds  another 
beast  coming  up  out  of  the  land,  which  is  subsequently  called 
the  false  prophet  or  teacher.  This  beast  is  a  body  corporate, 
which  was  to  arise  and  grow  unto  strength  among  the  Romans 
proper. 

Now,  however,  in  this  fourteenth  chapter,  the  Apostle's  atten- 
tion is  turned  towards  Mount  Zion  and  the  temple. 

Verses  1 — 5.  "  And  I  looked,  and  lo  a  Lamb  stood  on  the 
Mount  Zion,  and  with  him  a  hundred  and  forty  and  four  thou- 
sand, having  his  Father's  name  written  in  their  foreheads. 

"  And  I  heard  a  voice  from  heaven,  as  the  voice  of  many 
waters  and  as  the  voice  of  a  great  thunder ;  and  I  heard  the 
voice  of  harpers  harping  with  their  harps.  And  they  sung  as 
it  were  a  new  song  before  the  throne  and  before  the  four  beasts 
and  the  elders :  and  no  man  could  learn  that  song  but  the  hun- 
dred and  forty  and  four  thousand,  which  were  redeemed  from 
the  earth.  These  are  they  which  were  not  defiled  with  women  : 
for  they  are  virgins.  These  are  they  which  follow  the  Lamb 
whithersoever  he  goeth.  These  were  redeemed  from  among 
men,  being  the  first  fruits  unto  God  and  to  the  Lamb.  And  in 
their  mouth  was  found  no  guile ;  for  they  are  without  fault  be- 
fore the  throne  of  God." 

These  hundred  and  forty  and  four  thousand  are  first  brought 
to  our  notice  in  the  seventh  chapter,  where  we  learn  that  they 
were  selected  out  of  the  different  tribes  of  Israel,  and  sealed  with 
the  seal  of  the  living  God,  and  that  they  were  thus  selected  and 


140 

sealed  before  the  four  winds  of  the  earth  were  let  loose  upon  the 
land  and  the  sea. 

The  language  used  supposes  an  apostacy — a  falling  away  of 
the  majority  of  Roman  Christians  unto  idolatrous  practices. 
It  supposes  that  this  falling  away  would  precede  that  general 
breaking  loose  of  the  barbarians  upon  the  people  of  the  empire, 
which  occurred  in  the  fifth  century.  And  it  supposes,  too,  that 
through  these  calamitous  invasions,  and  through  the  period  of 
the  apostacy,  there  would  continue  a  small  remnant  of  Christians 
free  from  the  prevailing  corruptions  of  Christian  worship. 

This  remnant  of  the  servants  of  God,  confirmed  in  the  profes- 
sion of  a  pure  worship,  is  brought  to  our  notice  again  in  the 
ninth  chapter,  in  which  we  are  informed  that  the  Mahomedans 
of  Arabia,  who  were  commissioned  to  torment  idolators,  were 
forbidden  to  hurt  those  men  who  had  the  seal  of  God  upon  their 
foreheads — those  hundred  and  forty  and  four  thousand  who  ad- 
hered to  a  pure  worship  amidst  the  general  falling  away.  These 
faithful  Christians  are  brought  to  our  notice  again  in  the  twelfth 
chapter,  where  they  are  described  as  a  remnant  of  the  seed  of 
the  woman — as  the  remnant  who  keep  the  commandments  of 
God,  and  have  the  testimony  of  Jesus  Christ — as  the  remnant 
with  whom  the  dragon,  or  party  opposed  to  the  Christian  pro- 
fession, went  to  make  war,  after  the  Church  had  escaped  from 
that  inundation  of  foreign  pagans,  which  threatened  to  drown 
Roman  civilization,  and  with  it  the  Christian  Church. 

It  would  seem  from  the  next  (thirteenth)  chapter,  that  the 
dragon  carries  on  the  war  through  another  beast,  to  whom  he 
gives  power  over  his  throne  and  dominion.  This  successor 
of  the  dragon,  during  the  twelve  hundred  and  sixty  years  of  his 
successful  power,  makes  war  with  these  saints  and  overcomes 
them ;  and  all  of  Roman  Christianity  submit  to  him  with  the 
exception  of  this  remnant,  whose  names  are  written  in  the  book 
of  life  of  the  Lamb  slain  from  the  foundation  of  the  world. 

The  meaning  is,  that  during  this  period  of  successful  Roman 
Catholic  corporate  power,  there  would  continue  among  the  dif- 


*  HI 

ferent  Roman  communities  a  small  remnant  who,  assured  of  the 
certain  though  long  delayed  destruction  of  that  power,  would  not 
be  seduced  or  forced  into  submission. 

This  assurance  was  the  secret  of  their  perseverance  in  a  pure 
faith  and  practice.  Here  is  the  patience  and  faith  of  the  saints. 
And  now  here  in  this  fourteenth  chapter  this  remnant  is  brought 
to  our  notice  once  more. 

The  Apostle,  looking  towards  Mount  Zion  and  the  temple, 
sees  a  Lamb  standing  on  the  Mount,  and  with  him  these  hun- 
dred and  forty  and  four  thousand,  which  have  the  seal  of  his 
Father,  the  living  God,  upon  their  foreheads. 

The  place  and  the  posture  in  which  these  Israelites  are  found 
are  those  of  religious  worship.  In  this  place  of  worship  they 
appear  with  the  Lamb,  to  signify  that  it  is  through  Christ,  the 
Lamb  of  God,  which  taketh  away  the  sin  of  the  world,  that  thoy 
have  access  to  the  temple  and  mercy  seat  and  favour  of  God — 
that  it  is  through  his  sacrifice  and  mediation  that  they  are 
allowed  to  come  near  to  the  presence  of  God,  and  ask  for  mercy 
and  favour. 

While  they  are  standing  on  the  Mount  with  the  Lamb,  the 
Apostle  hears  a  voice  from  heaven,  from  the  inner  parts  of  the 
temple,  and  this  voice  was  very  loud,  and  was  accompanied  with 
the  voice  of  harpers  singing  before  the  throne  of  God  a  song 
which  none  of  the  men  of  the  land  could  learn,  excepting  these 
hundred  and  forty  and  four  thousand,  who  were  redeemed  from 
among  them. 

In  foretelling  the  deliverance  of  the  faithful  Israelites  from 
their  oppressors,  and  their  introduction  into  a  happy  state  of 
liberty  and  prosperity,  the  prophet  Isaiah  uses  the  following 
language,  (chap,  li.)  "Therefore  the  redeemed  of  the  Lord  shall 
return,  and  come  with  singing  unto  Zion  ;  and  everlasting  joy 
shall  be  upon  their  head  :  they  shall  obtain  joy  and  gladness; 
and  sorrow  and  sighing  shall  flee  away." 

The  language  of  St.  John  is  of  a  similar  import  with  that 
of  Isaiah.     It  imports  that  the  remnant  of  pure  worshippers  who 

13 


142 

in  Roman  communities  and  under  the  Roman  oppressors  have 
continued  to  exist  during  the  twelve  hundred  and  sixty  years, 
are  now,  at  the  end  of  this  period,  to  be  delivered  from  their  op- 
pressors, and  pass  into  a  free  and  prosperous  state ;  in  other 
words,  men  of  their  worship  and  morals  and  character,  are  now 
to  flourish  in  Roman  communities,  while  the  votaries  and  advo- 
cates of  a  corrupted  Christianity  are  to  decline. 

Let  us  now  attend  to  the  description  given  of  these  characters. 
u  These  are  they  which  which  were  not  defiled  with  women  :  for 
they  are  virgins." 

They  are  called  virgins  to  signify  their  purity  in  respect  to 
idolatrous  practices  ;  for  when  the  scriptures  speak  of  idolatry, 
they  commonly  use  the  words  fornication  and  adultery.  The 
religion  of  ancient  idolaters  was  literally  as  well  as  figuratively 
a  system  of  lewdness.  The  worship  of  this  remnant  is  not  de- 
filed with  idolatrous  ceremonies  and  invocations.  They  invoke 
the  one  only  Mediator  between  God  and  man — the  Man  Christ 
Jesus — to  the  exclusion  of  the  mediation  of  martyrs  and  deceased 
saints,  and  they  make  use  of  no  images  in  their  invocations. 
Unlike  the  majority,  they  strictly  adhere  to  the  doctrine  and 
worship  of  the  deceased  and  risen  Man  Christ  Jesus,  as  the  one 
and  the  only  man  whom  it  is  lawful  to  invoke  and  worship  as  a 
mediator  in  the  Court  of  Heaven. 

These  are  they  which  follow  the  Lamb  whithersoever  he  goeth. 
They  have  followed  the  Lamb  unto  Mount  Zion,  unto  the  city 
of  the  living  God — the  heavenly  Jerusalem,  and  unto  the  pre- 
sence of  the  throne  of  God,  and  there  they  join  in  the  celestial 
worship. 

Whether  they  regard  Christ  in  his  incarnation,  his  obedience, 
his  sufferings  and  death,  his  resurrection,  his  ascension  into 
heaven  and  his  session  and  intercession  there  at  the  right  hand 
of  power,  they  follow  him  in  their  gratitude  and  confidence, 
through  all,  up  to  the  very  throne  of  God  in  the  celestial  city. 
They  cleave  to  the  merits  and  intercessions  of  Christ,  as  all  suffi- 
cient to  their  eternal  acceptance  with  God  in  heaven. 


143 

And  in  their  mouth  was  found  no  guile,  for  they  are  without 
fault  before  the  throne  of  God. 

The  founders  and  advocates  of  the  old  pagan  religion,  acted 
upon  the  principle  that  it  is  lawful  to  make  use  of  falsehood  and 
deception  when  they  are  for  the  benefit  of  mankind.  And  this 
pagan  principle  in  the  course  of  a  few  centuries  came  into  prac- 
tice among  the  professors  of  Christianity. 

Eusebius,  a  Christian  bishop  of  the  fourth  century,  could  pro- 
pose the  question  whether  it  were  lawful  to  use  falsehood  as  a 
medicine  for  those  who  may  derive  advantage  from  such  a 
method.  He  quotes  the  authority  of  Plato,  though  he  would 
not  go  so  far  as  Plato,  and  justify  falsehood,  but  he  thought  that 
illusion  or  dissimulation  might  be  innocently  used  for  praise- 
worthy ends.  Jerome,  in  the  fifth  century,  ascribed  dissimula- 
tion to  the  apostles  Peter  and  Paul,  on  the  occasion  related  in 
the  second  chapter  of  the  epistle  to  the  Galatians.  St.  Augus- 
tine, however,  severely  reproved  him  as  guilty  of  a  great  slander 
upon  these  Apostles. 

Gregory,  bishop  of  Rome,  wrote  in  the  sixth  century  his 
book  of  dialogues,  which  is  filled  with  the  most  extravagant 
stories  of  miracles,  altogether  unworthy  of  belief.  He  is  ex- 
cused by  the  Roman  Catholic  historian,  Fleury,  on  the  ground 
that  he  wrote  this  book  for  the  benefit  of  ignorant  soldiers  and 
barbarians,  and  that  a  miracle  did  more  good,  and  was  to  them 
more  convincing  than  the  best  syllogisms. 

These  dialogues  of  Gregory  were  in  use  for  many  generations 
after  him,  and  were  followed  by  the  ridiculous  legends  of  the 
monks.  What  absurd  miracles  and  impious  frauds  were  fabri- 
cated and  preached  during  the  dark  ages.  In  those  days  Chris- 
tiana had  itching  ears,  and  they  turned  away  their  ears  from  the 
truth  and  were  turned  into  fables.  And  these  fables  and  false- 
hoods were  invented  and  published  for  idolatrous  purposes. 
Idolatry  and  fiction  and  falsehood  go  together.  And  no  one 
who  worketh  abomination  or  maketh  a  lie,  no  idolaters  and  liars 


144 

have  any  inheritance  in  the  kingdom  of  God.  To  fabricate  and 
publish  a  false  miracle  for  the  purpose  of  sanctioning  and  sus- 
taining an  idolatrous  principle  or  practice  is  a  daring  impiety. 
0  my  soul,  come  not  thou  into  their  secret,  unto  their  assembly 
mine  honour,  be  not  thou  united. 

But  while  these  authors  and  preachers  of  lying  wonders 
walked  in  craftiness  and  handled  the  word  of  God  deceitfully, 
there  were  always  some  few  who  renounced  these  things  of  dis- 
honesty, and  endeavoured  by  the  manifestation  of  the  truth  to 
commend  themselves  to  every  man's  conscience  in  the  sight  of 
God.  And  these  are  they^  who,  in  being  without  guile  in  their 
treatment  of  Christian  truth  are  without  fault  before  the  throne 
of  God,  in  the  sight  of  the  God  of  truth. 

These  were  redeemed  from  the  earth,  redeemed  from  among 
men,  being  the  first  fruits  unto  God  and  to  the  Lamb.  These 
are  saved  and  emancipated  from  that  idolatrous  slavery  under 
which  they  had  been  born,  and  they  are  but  a  small  number  in 
comparison  of  that  greater  number  to  be  saved  and  emancipated 
in  a  future  age.  The  first  fruits  were  but  a  diminutive  part  of 
the  whole  harvest.  And  there  is  to  follow  a  harvest  of  such 
Christians.  We  have  an  account  of  this  harvest,  in  the  latter 
part  of  the  chapter. 

Verses  6  and  7.  "  And  I  saw  another  angel  fly  in  the  midst 
of  heaven,  having  the  everlasting  gospel  to  preach  unto  them 
that  dwell  on  the  earth  and  to  every  nation  and  kindred  and 
tongue  and  people.  Saying  with  a  loud  voice,  '  Fear  God  and 
give  glory  to  him  ;  for  the  hour  of  his  judgment  is  come ;  and 
worship  him  that  made  heaven  and  earth  and  the  sea  and  the 
fountains  of  waters.' " 

An  angel  had  been  introduced  (in  the  eighth  chapter,)  flying 
through  the  midst  of  heaven,  for  the  purpose  of  impressing  on 
our  minds  a  sense  of  the  severity  of  the  three  last  woes  here 
threatened.  Angels  are  introduced  flying  in  the  midst  of  heaven, 
to  impress  on  our  minds  a  sense  of  the  great  severity  of  the  last 


145 

woe  in  which  the  ruin  of  Rome,  of  the  worshippers  of  the  divi- 
nity of  the  Roman  Catholic  church,  and  of  its  representative, 
the  papacy,  is  to  be  consummated. 

The  first  angel  (we  perceive,)  addresses  his  message  not  only 
to  them  that  dwell  on  the  land,  (the  nation  of  Israel,)  but  to 
every  nation  and  tongue  and  people. 

This  angel  calls  upon  all  idolatrous  communities,  whether 
Christian  or  Pagan,  whether  professing  Christianity  or  some 
other  religion,  to  fear  and  give  glory  to  God,  and  to  worship  the 
Former  of  heaven  and  earth,  for  that  the  time  of  judgment  upon 
their  idolatry  had  come,  and  that  heaven  would  bear  with  them 
no  longer. 

The  apostle  in  preaching  to  the  Athenians,  on  the  subject  of 
their  demon  or  mediator  worship,  and  of  their  use  of  images  in 
this  worship,  calls  upon  them  to  abandon  their  mediators  and 
images  and  worship  the  God  who  made  the  world  and  all  things 
therein,  and  who  is  omnipresent  in  his  divinity  and  power,  and 
not  confined  to  any  particular  temples  or  images.  The  apostle 
also  in  his  preaching  assured  them,  that  though  God  had  winked 
at  (had  suffered)  these  times  in  which  men  ignorantly  invoked 
demons  and  fell  down  before  images,  yet  that  now  He  commands 
all  men  every  where  to  repent  of  their  idolatry,  and  has,  in  the 
resurrection  of  Christ  from  the  dead,  given  assurance  to  all  men 
that  at  an  appointed  time  he  would  judge  the  world  in  righteous- 
ness by  Jesus  Christ. 

So  here  the  aDgel  flying  through  the  midst  of  heaven,  in  his 
preaching  the  gospel  to  Christian  and  other  communities  who 
invoke  a  multiplicity  of  mediators  and  fall  down  before  images, 
assures  them  that  the  hour  of  God's  judgment  when  he  would 
not  longer  bear  with  their  idolatrous  worship  was  at  hand,  and 
that  they  should  render  their  worship  to  the  great  author  of  all 
things  which  are  in  heaven  and  on  the  land  and  in  the  waters. 
Under  the  gospel  as  well  as  under  the  law,  God  allows  not  his 
glory  to  be  given  to  another,  nor  his  presence  to  graven  images. 

13* 


146 

In  this  truth  the  gospel  is  everlasting,  is  the  same  yesterday, 
to  day,  and  forever. 

Verse  8.  "And  there  followed  another  angel,  saying  Bab- 
ylon is  fallen,  is  fallen,  that  great  city,  because  she  made  all  na- 
tions drink  of  the  wine  of  the  wrath  of  her  fornication. 

There  is  an  allusion  here  to  philters  or  love  potions  which 
impure  women  gave  to  those  whom  they  wished  to  inspire  with 
an  insane  passion,  and  seduce  and  bend  to  their  will. 

The  angel  denounces  the  subversion  of  Rome  as  a  punishment 
upon  her,  because  the  nations  of  her  commission  had  imbibed 
those  idolatrous  doctrines,  or  notions  of  her  fornication  and 
teaching,  which  had  infused  into  them  a  mania  or  fanatical  rage 
for  her  mode  of  worship,  and  an  insane,  blind  submission  to  her 
authority. 

It  has  indeed  been  by  appeals  and  arguments  addressed  to 
passion  and  prejudice,  that  Rome  has  been  enabled  to  triumph 
over  reason  and  common  sense,  and  to  entice  the  nations  into 
her  idolatry,  and  to  bind  them  to  her  will  and  rule.  Transub- 
stantiation  and  image  worship  ^in  the  establishment  of  which 
Rome  took  the  lead,  were  triumphs  of  party  passion  and  fanaticism 
over  reason  and  common  sense. 

Verses  9-12.  "  And  the  third  angel  followed  them,  saying 
with  a  loud  voice,  If  any  man  worship  the  beast  and  his  image, 
and  receive  his  mark  in  his  forehead  or  in  his  hand,  the 
same  shall  drink  of  the  wine  of  the  wrath  of  God,  which 
is  poured  out  without  mixture  into  the  cup  of  his  indignation, 
and  he  shall  be  tormented  with  fire  and  brimstone,  in  the  pre- 
sence of  the  holy  angels  and  in  the  presence  of  the  Lamb.  And 
the  smoke  of  their  torment  ascendeth  up  for  ever  and  ever,  and 
they  have  no  rost  day  nor  night,  who  worship  the  beast  and  his 
image,  and  whosoever  receiveth  the  mark  of  his  name.  Here 
is  the  patience  of  the  saints ;  here  are  they  that  keep  the  com- 
mandments of  God,  and  the  faith  of  Jesus." 

All  who  pledge  themselves  to  the  ministry  and  service  of  the 
Roman  Catholic  Church,  as  well  as  all  who  respect  its  authority, 


147 

and  that  of  the  pope  as  divine  and  infallible,  are  according  to  the 
angel  now  destined  to  the  punishment  and  torture  of  a  reprobate 
mind,  and  a  reprobate  state.  The  unwilling  conviction  of  hated 
truth  will  be  to  them  like  an  intense  suffocating  fire,  torturing 
them  forever. 

This  fatal  doom  of  the  majority  is  set  forth  as  an  inducement 
to  the  minority  to  persevere  in  their  obedience  and  faith. 

13th  verse.  "  And  I  heard  a  voice  from  heaven  saying  unto 
me ;  Write  Blessed  are  the  dead  which  die  in  the  Lord  from 
henceforth,  yea,  saith  the  Spirits  that  they  may  rest  from  their 
labours,  and  their  works  do  follow  them." 

The  angel  who  denounced  the  worshippers  of  the  beast  and 
his  image,  and  all  who  received  his  mark,  is  followed  by  a  voice 
from  heaven  pronouncing  the  blessedness  of  the  martyrs  for 
Christ  as  being  destined  to  rest  from  all  their  works  of  faith,  and 
charity,  and  receive  the  reward  of  them  in  a  future  state.  The 
introduction  of  the  words  in  this  place  would  seem  intended  to 
encourage  the  minority,  under  some  severe  temporary  persecu- 
tion which  they  were  about  to  suffer,  perhaps  the  three-and-a 
half  years  which  terminate  the  1260. 

Verses  14-16.  "  And  I  looked  and  behold  a  white  cloud,  and 
upon  the  cloud,  one  sat  like  unto  the  son  of  man,  having  on  his 
head  a  golden  crown,  and  in  his  hand  a  sharp  sickle.  And  an- 
other angel  came  out  of  the  temple,  crying  with  a  loud  voice  to 
him  that  sat  on  the  cloud,  Thrust  in  thy  sickle  and  reap,  for 
the  time  is  come  for  thee  to  reap,  for  the  harvest  of  the  earth  is 
ripe.  And  he  that  sat  on  the  cloud,  thrust  in  his  sickle  on  the 
earth,  and  the  harvest  was  reaped." 

The  hundred  and  forty  and  four  thousand  redeemed  from  the 
earth  were  the  first  fruits — here  is  the  general  harvest. 

When  our  Lord  sent  forth  the  seventy  disciples  to  preach  the 
gospel,  he  said  unto  them  :  "  The  harvest  truly  is  great,  but  the 
labourers  are  few.  Pray  ye  therefore  the  Lord  of  the  harvest, 
that  he  may  send  forth  labourers  into  his  harvest."  On  another 
occasion  he  says  to  his  disciples :  "  Say  not  ye,  there  are  yet 


148 

four  months,  and  then  cometh  harvest ;  behold  I  say  unto  you, 
Lift  up  your  eyes  and  look  on  the  fields,  for  they  are  white 
already  to  harvest.  And  he  that  reapeth  receiveth  wages  and 
gathereth  fruit  unto  life  eternal,  that  both  he  that  soweth  and 
he  that  reapeth  may  rejoice  together."  As  if  he  had  said,  that 
there  are  multitudes  who,  by  instruction,  have  become  ripe  for 
the  reception  of  the  gospel  and  for  gathering  into  Christian  socie- 
ties. The  minds  of  the  sincere  and  the  upright  among  the  Jews 
were  as  prepared  for  the  doctrine  and  dispensation  of  the  Mes- 
siah, as  wheat  fully  ripe  is  ready  to  be  reaped  and  gathered  into 
barns. 

The  apostles  and  ministers  of  Christ  were  the  reapers  ap- 
pointed for  this  purpose. 

In  the  harvest  spoken  of  here  by  St.  John,  the  upright  and 
good  among  the  Romans  are  now  prepared  to  receive  the  truth 
as  it  is  in  Christ,  and  to  separate  themselves  from  the  Roman 
communion,  and  form  themselves  into  new  societies  and  con- 
gregations. 

The  golden  crown  upon  the  Son  of  Israel,  and  his  sitting 
upon  a  cloud,  are  symbolic  of  the  coming  of  his  gospel  in  great 
power  and  influence  among  mankind ;  while  the  sickle  in  his 
hand,  and  the  call  addressed  to  him  to  thrust  in  his  sickle  and 
reap,  signify  that  he  is  about  to  gather  the  people  unto 
himself. 

And  when  all  the  upright  and  good  are  withdrawn  from  the 
Roman  communion,  its  ruin  will  be  inevitable  and  speedy. 

Verses  17 — 20.  And  another  angel  came  out  of  the  temple 
which  is  in  heaven,  he  also  having  a  sharp  sickle.  And  another 
angel  came  out  from  the  altar,  which  had  power  over  fire,  and 
cried  with  a  loud  voice  to  him  that  had  the  sharp  sickle,  saying, 
Thrust  in  thy  sharp  sickle  and  gather  the  clusters  of  the  vine 
of  the  earth,  for  her  grapes  are  fully  ripe.  And  the  angel  thrust 
in  his  sickle  into  the  earth  and  gathered  the  vine  of  the  earth 
and  cast  it  into  the  great  wine-press  of  the  wrath  of  God.  And 
the  wine-press  was  trodden  without  the  city,  and  blood  came  out 


149 

of  the  wine-press,  even  unto  the  horses'  bridles,  by  the  space  of 
a  thousand  six  hundred  furlongs. 

The  reaping  of  the  vine  of  the  earth  is  done  at  the  command 
of  an  angel  who  had  power  over  fire,  who  had  charge  of  the  fire 
of  the  altar,  whose  business  related  to  punishment. 

This  circumstance  intimates  that  the  vintage  is  to  be  under- 
stood in  a  punitive  sense,  and  this  sense  is  confirmed  by  the 
casting  of  the  grapes  into  the  great  wine-press  of  the  wrath  of 
God,  and  the  flowing  of  blood  from  the  trodden  grapes  to  the 
depth  of  the  horses'  bridles,  and  to  the  distance  of  a  thousand 
six  hundred  furlongs,  the  length  of  the  holy  land. 

When  those  who  are  truly  Christian  in  their  sentiments  and 
conduct  are  spoken  of  under  the  figure  of  wheat,  those  of  oppo- 
site sentiments  and  conduct  are  spoken  of  under  the  head  of  tares 
or  chaff;  here  they  are  spoken  of  under  the  figure  of  grapes  of 
blood,  ripe,  to  be  cut  and  cast  into  the  wine-press  and  trodden 
under  foot. 

The  prophet  Isaiah  compares  the  house  of  Israel  to  a  vineyard 
planted  with  the  choicest  vine,  and  provided  with  all  things 
necessary  to  insure  a  good  vintage.  But  when  its  owner  looked 
that  it  should  bring  forth  grapes,  it  brought  forth  wild  grapes. 
The  vineyard  of  the  Lord  of  hosts  is  the  house  of  Israel,  and 
the  men  of  Judah  his  pleasant  plant,  and  he  looked  for  judg- 
ment, and  behold  oppression ;  and  for  righteousness,  and  behold 
a  cry.  The  community  of  Israel,  notwithstanding  its  divine  in- 
stitutions, had  brought  forth  a  generation  of  unjust  and  tyran- 
nical men.  And  so  the  produce  of  the  Roman  vineyard  will  be 
grapes  of  bood.  The  Roman  Catholic  community  will  become 
notorious  as  a  community  in  which  the  heartless  oppressors  and 
bloody  persecutors  of  Christians  of  a  pure  worship  will  have  the 
ascendancy  and  rule. 

This  generation  of  persecutors  is,  however,  destined  for  degra- 
dation and  contempt.  The  crown  of  pride,  the  drunkards  of 
Ephraim,  shall  be  trodden  with  the  feet.  The  Lord  hath  trod- 
den under  foot  all  my  mighty  men  in  the  midst  of  me ;  he  hath 


150 

called  an  assembly  against  me  to  crush  my  young  men.  The 
Lord  hath  trodden  the  virgin,  the  daughter  of  Judah,  as  in  a 
wine-press.  I  will  tread  the  people  in  mine  anger,  and  trample 
them  in  my  fury;  and  their  blood  shall  be  sprinkled  upon  my 
garments,  and  I  will  stain  all  my  garments.  For  the  day  of 
vengeance  is  in  my  heart,  and  the  year  of  my  redeemed  is  come. 
From  the  commencement  of  our  Saviour's  public  ministry  to 
the  destruction  of  Jerusalem,  was  to  the  Jews  the  period  of 
harvest,  during  which  time,  those  of  honest  and  good  hearts 
among  them  were  gathered  into  Christian  societies.  But  after 
the  period  of  harvest  there  followed  a  period  of  vintage — a  pe- 
riod of  terrible  calamity  and  degradation  upon  the  unbelieving 
Jews.  The  people  of  the  Roman  prince  came  and  destroyed 
their  city  and  sanctuary,  and  Jerusalem  and  the  Jews  have  ever 
since  been  trodden  under  foot. 

So  also  after  the  better  part  of  Roman  Catholic  Christians 
shall  be  gathered  into  new  Christian  societies,  the  remainder  are 
destined  for  a  state  of  degradation  and  contempt — for  some 
fearful  judgment.  This  chapter  has  called  our  attention  to  the 
time  when  the  remnant  of  Christians  of  a  pure  worship,  having 
passed  through  the  one  thousand  two  hundred  and  sixty  years  of 
their  oppression  and  persecution,  are  about  to  enter  in  a  flourish- 
ing condition,  and  to  increase  from  the  first  fruits  into  a  general 
harvest,  while  their  oppressors  and  persecutors  are  to  sink  into 
a  state  of  condemnation  and  ignominy.  In  the  last  part  of  this 
chapter  we  are  brought  down  beyond  the  one  thousand  two  hun- 
dred and  sixty  years  into  the  third  woe ;  and  in  the  next  two 
chapters  we  have  the  several  particulars  of  that  woe  under  the 
figure  of  seven  vials  full  of  the  wrath  of  Grod,  poured  out  upon 
the  earth  by  seven  angels. 


151 


DISCOURSE  XII. 
Rev.  xv.  and  xvi. 


Chap,  xv  1-4.  "  And  I  saw  another  sign  in  heaven  great  and  marvel- 
lous, seven  angels  having  the  seven  last  plagues;  for  in  them  is  filled 
up  the  wrath  of  God.  And  I  saw  as  it  were  a  sea  of  glass  mingled 
with  fire:  and  them  that  had  gotten  the  victory  over  the  beast,  and 
over  his  image,  and  over  his  mark,  and  over  the  number  of  his  name, 
stand  on  the  sea  of  glass,  having  the  harps  of  God,  &c.  And  they  sing 
the  song  of  Moses,  the  servant  of  God,  and  the  song  of  the  Lamb,  say- 
ing Great  and  marvellous  are  tby  works,  Lord  God  Almighty,  just  and 
true  are  thy  ways  thou  king  of  saints.  Who  shatl  not  fear  thee  0 
Lord,  and  glorify  thy  name  ;  for  all  nations  shall  come  and  worship 
before  thee,  for  thy  judgments  are  made  manifest." 


From  the  6th  to  the  12th  chapters  the  apostle  conducts  us 
through  a  period  of  history,  beginning  soon  after  his  own  age, 
and  reaching  down  'to  the  third  and  last  woe,  contained  in  the 
sounding  of  the  seventh  trumpet. 

From  the  12th  to  the  15th  chapters  he  conducts  us  over  the 
same  period  down  to  the  same  date,  for  the  purpose  of  commu- 
nicating additional  information.  Having  thus  twice  conducted 
us  down  to  the  third  or  last  woe,  he  now  in  the  15th  and  16th 
chapters  gives  us  a  symbolic  description  of  that  woe  in  the  par- 
ticulars of  the  seven  last  plagues  in  which  is  filled  up  the  wrath 
of  God. 

These  last  seven  plagues  being  the  inflictions  of  an  angry 
providence,  will  complete  the  decline  and  fall  of  Roman  idola- 
trous power,  both  Catholic  and  local.  The  measure  of  Roman 
prosperous  corporate  apostacy  from  a  pure  Christianity,  being 
filled  up,  the  measure  of  its  punishment  will  now  also  be  filled 
up  unto  its  utter  decline  and  ruin,  and  the  servants  of  God  who 
had  been  in  an  afflicted  and  persecuted  condition  during  the 


152 

_,.,r.   ..■  .\._ 

--7    :.:-_* 
the  vidnj  oter  ske 
kbanrk.  aadoter  the 

We  rat  appose  that  they 
power,  fike  ike 

at  trailed  Sea,  a 

Ia  this  ssag  thej 
t!(Mfa  thsae 
what*  arc  fcrraght 

to 
^aH 
Their 
ate,  i^aifre  that  they are  ia matate  rf 
pwmiiiai     f  tar  teifralrot  p  Taiino  af 


TeneaS— 8.  "  Aad  afar  that  I  baked,  aad  tehall  rag  tea»- 
ple  of  the  taberaaele  of  the  testraooy  (the  iraer  aaaetrary  af 
the  tearale)  ia  heaira  warn  opraed/" 

" Aad  the  sera  aacefe  eaaae  raft  of  the  Hawaii   hariagthe 


eane  mo  the  aeira 
wrath  of  iMwW  forth 

•i  i     :-      :'   ■  i   -•:  -;-  i  iir---   ".--^ 
pHeasare  which  he  was  to  rrreote.) 
with  saaake  firam  the  «*ay  rf  God  i 
boo  was  ahle  to  eater  iato  the 
of  the  seres  aasefe  were  raraVd." 
The  pore  white  efettfciag  of  the 

-'  -Jteir  breaste,  aeo  i  ilili'Miliiir  rf  the 
aad  the  real j  obtdteaee  oith  which  they 


153 

It  is  a  common  scriptural  figure  which  speaks  of  the  wrath  of 
God  as  contained  in  a  vial  or  cup.  In  the  hand  of  the  Lord 
there  is  a  cup,  and  the  wine  is  red  ;  it  is  full  of  mixture ;  and 
he  poureth  out  of  the  same,  but  the  dregs  thereof  all  the  wicked 
shall  wring  out  and  drink  them. 

The  smoke  with  which  the  temple  was  filled  and  which  pre- 
vented all  ingress  while  the  seven  angels  were  fulfilling  their 
respective  commissions,  signifies  an  extraordinary  and  glorious 
manifestation  of  the  divine  power  and  justice  in  the  judgments 
inflicted.  The  seven  angels  having  received  the  seven  vials 
now  hear  a  great  voice  out  of  the  temple  or  sanctuary  ordering 
them  to  execute  their  respective  commissions. 

Chap.  xvi.  1.  "  And  I  heard  a  great  voice  out  of  the  temple, 
saying,  Go  your  ways  and  pour  out  the  vials  of  the  wrath  of 
God  upon  the  earth." 

The  first  angel  pours  out  the  contents  of  his  vial  upon  the 
earth,  (the  land)  the  second  angel  pours  his  vial  upon  the  sea, 
the  third  upon  the  rivers  and  fountains  of  waters,  the  fourth 
upon  the  sun,  the  fifth  upon  the  throne  or  seat  of  the  beast, 
the  sixth  upon  the  great  river  Euphrates,  and  the  seventh  into 
the  air.  It  has  been  remarked  that  the  land,  the  sea,  and  the 
rivers  and  fountains  of  waters  signify  three  different  kinds  of 
population  in  the  Roman  world ;  the  land  signifies  the  portion 
more  particularly  Roman  in  their  manners  and  civilization,  the 
rivers  and  fountains  of  water  signify  the  favoured  nations  or 
communities  of  foreign  manners  and  civilization,  while  the  sea 
signifies  that  portion  of  the  population  who  less  disciplined  and 
stable  in  their  minds  and  passions  constitute  the  greater  num- 
ber, the  mass  or  multitude. 

The  rivers  and  fountains  of  waters  included  in  the  5th  and 
6th  centuries,  those  foreign  nations  who  after  conquering  the 
Romans  settled  among  them,  and  united  with  them  in  close 
alliance  and  friendship.  These  rivers  and  fountains  must 
represent  in  modern  times  those  nations  or  communities  as 
transmitted  in  a  modified  form,  and  comprehending  the  different 

14 


154 

Roman  Catholic  nations  or  communities  of  Europe.  The 
Greeks  for  some  ages  were  to  the  Roman  power  and  idolatry  in 
the  west  what  the  river  Euphrates  was  to  the  city  of  Babylon, 
they  protected  the  Latin  or  Western  people  from  the  Mahome- 
dans.  In  modern  times  the  river  Euphrates  may  represent  the 
Greek  community  as  perpetuated  in  religion  and  government 
among  the  Russians. 

The  Russians  are  of  the  Greek  religion,  and  their  government 
is  the  Greek  imperial  despotism  or  autocracy. 

The  Russian  empire  is  the  Greek  empire  perpetuated  in 
Church  and  State. 

The  sun  is  the  symbol  of  the  chief  source  of  knowledge  and 
influence.  It  was  in  ancient  times  the  province  of  governments 
to  exercise  a  chief  agency  in  the  diffusion  and  perpetuation  of 
knowledge,  one  of  the  titles  of  the  ancient  Egyptian  kings  was, 
«  Son  of  the  sun." 

The  seat  or  throne  of  the  beast,  signifies  the  seat  of  govern- 
ment —  the  capitol  of  the  Roman  Catholic  Church,  or  the 
sovereign  administration  of  Roman  Catholic  power. 

The  air  may  represent  public  opinion,  the  public  mind  and 
sentiment,  that  upon  which  authority  is  dependent  for  its  life 
and  vigor. 

The  2d  verse.  "  And  the  first  (angel)  went  and  pbured  out 
his  vial  upon  the  earth,  and  there  fell  a  noisome  and  grievous 
sore  upon  the  men  which  had  the  mark  of  the  beast,  and  upon 
them  which  worshipped  his  image."  The  earth  here  signifies 
the  land  as  distinguished  from  the  water,  and  represents  the 
distinguished  portion  of  the  population  in  the  Roman  world — 
the  portion  who  are  more  particularly  Roman  in  their  senti- 
ments and  manners.  Something  will  occur  among  this  portion 
of  the  population,  which  will  prove  very  annoying  and  painful 
to  those  who  are  pledged  to  the  service  of  the  Catholic  Church, 
and  who  render  submission  to  the  fabricated  representative  of 
its  divinity — who  idolize  papal  auth  :rity. 

Perhaps  this  portion  of  the  population  will  become  disaffected 


155 

towards  Catholic  divine  authority,  and  towards  its  representa- 
tive papal  authority,  and  this  disaffection  will  grievously  afflict  the 
minds  and  feelings  of  the  votaries  cf  Catholic  and  papal  divinity. 

Verse  3.  And  the  second  angel  poured  out  his  vial  upon  the 
sea,  and  it  became  as  the  blood  of  a  dead  man,  and  every  living 
soul  died  in  the  sea. 

The  less  stable — the  less  disciplined  population — the  multi- 
tude, now  became  imbued  with  some  property  or  principle  as 
deleterious  to  the  existence  of  the  Roman  corporate  spirit  as  a 
sea  of  congealed  blood  would  be  to  animal  existence. 

Verses  4 — 7.  And  the  third  angel  poured  out  his  vial  upon 
the  rivers  and  fountains  of  waters,  and  they  became  blood. 
And  I  heard  the  angel  of  the  waters  say,  Thou  art  righteous, 
0  Lord,  which  art  and  wast  and  shalt  b3,  because  thou  hast 
judged  thus.  For  they  have  shed  the  blood  of  saints  and 
prophets,  and  thou  hast  given  them  blood  to  drink,  for  they  are 
worthy.  And  I  heard  another  voice  out  of  the  altar  say,  Even 
so,  Lord  God  Almighty,  true  and  righteous  are  thy  judgments. 

The  foreign  nations  or  communities  in  favor  and  alliance  with 
the  Romans,  now  becoming  imbued  with  some  property  or  prin- 
ciple extremely  distasteful  and  obnoxious  to  the  obsequious  and 
bigoted  votaries  of  the  papacy  and  Roman  Catholicism,  will 
be  instruments  of  an  overruling  Providence  to  inflict  upon  them 
a  righteous  retaliation  for  their  persecution  of  good  men. 

Verses  8  and  9.  And  the  fourth  angel  poured  out  his  vial 
upon  the  sun,  and  power  was  given  unto  him  to  scorch  men  with 
fire.  And  men  were  scorched  with  great  heat,  and  blasphemed 
the  name  of  God,  which  had  power  over  these  plagues,  and  they 
repented  not  to  give  him  glory. 

Government,  or  the  supreme  authority,  will  now  exercise  a 
severe  and  hostile  influence  upon  those  who  practise  a  false  reli- 
gion, whether  professedly  Christian  or  infidel. 

Perhaps  the  intellectual  light  as  well  as  the  moral  influence 
diffused  by  government,  will  now  be  increased  to  an  intense 
degree,  and  become  intolerant  and  tormenting  to  them.     But 


156 

neither  this  or  the  forementioned  judgments  will  bring  them  to 
a  sense  of  their  error,  and  to  an  acknowledgment  of  the  mani- 
fest justice  of  divine  Providence  in  bringing  about  these  un- 
toward events  so  annoying  and  torturing  to  their  sentiments  and 
feelings.  They  will  not  see  in  these  untoward  events  of  Pro- 
vidence that  the  hand  of  God  is  against  them. 

Verses  10  and  11.  And  the  fifth  angel  poured  his  vial  upon 
the  seat  of  the  beast,  and  his  kingdom  was  full  of  darkness,  and 
they  gnawed  their  tongues  for  pain,  and  blasphemed  the  God 
of  Heaven  because  of  their  pains  and  their  sores,  and  repented 
not  of  their  deeds. 

Something  befals  the  administration  or  seat  of  Roman  Catho- 
lic authority,  by  which  that  authority  will  be  deprived  of  all  its 
glory  and  influence,  and  Roman  Catholics  in  their  adversity 
will  be  extremely  chagrined  and  mortified.  As  partisans  and 
bigots  when  they  find  their  cause  in  misfortune  and  disgrace, 
are  miserably  vexed  and  tormented,  but  persevere  in  their 
error,  so  will  it  be  with  these  men.  They  will  disregard  all  the 
retributive  inflictions  of  a  righteous  Providence  upon  them  and 
their  cause,  and  will  continue  in  their  perverse  spirit  and  con- 
duct— hardening  their  hearts  against  the  calls  to  repentance 
and  a  better  mind. 

Like  Pharaoh,  they  will  persevere  in  their  hardness  of  heart 
until  some  more  fearful  workings  of  a  retributive  Providence 
overtake  them,  and  involve  them  and  their  cause  in  a  complete 
and  fatal  ruin. 

Verses  12-16.  "  And  the  sixth  angel  poured  out  his  vial  upon 
the  great  river  Euphrates  ;  and  the  water  thereof  was  dried  up, 
that  the  way  of  the  kings  of  the  east  might  be  prepared. 

And  I  saw  three  unclean  spirits  like  frogs,  come  out  of  the 
mouth  of  the  dragon  and  out  of  the  mouth  of  the  beast  and  out 
of  the  mouth  of  the  false  prophet. 

For  they  are  the  spirits  of  devils  working  miracles,  which  go 
forth  unto  the  kings  of  the  earth  and  of  the  whole  world,  to 
gather  them  to  the  battle  of  that  great  day  of  God  Almighty. 


157 

Behold,  I  come  as  a  thief,  Blessed  is  he  that  watcheth  and 
keepeth  his  garments,  lest  he  walk  naked  and  they  see  his 
shame. 

And  he  gathered  them  together  into  a  place  called  in  the 
Hebrew  tongue,  Armageddon."  A  large  army  of  various  nations 
gathered  together  by  the  kings  of  Medea  and  Persia  and  com- 
manded by  Legrus  besieged  Babylon  and  took  the  city  in  the 
following  manner. 

The  river  Euphrates  ran  through  the  midst  of  the  city,  being 
about  a  quarter  of  a  mile  broad  and  twelve  feet  deep,  and  hav- 
ing on  each  side  a  wall.  The  width  and  depth  of  the  river, 
together  with  the  walls  on  each  side,  were  thought  to  be  a  sure 
defence  against  access  to  the  city  in  that  quarter. 

The  Persian  general,  however,  by  means  of  ditches  and  canals 
which  he  had  caused  to  be  dug,  and  which  on  a  certain  night  he 
opened  to  the  river,  drew  off  the  water  from  its  usual  channel 
and  rendered  the  river  fordable. 

The  troops  then  entering  the  river  thus  rendered  fordable, 
and  coming  to  the  gates  of  the  walls  on  the  river,  found  that  in 
the  neglect  and  disorder  of  an  annual  festival  then  celebrated, 
they  had  been  left  open,  the  besieged  not  suspecting  that  the 
city  could  possibly  be  entered  by  the  river.  The  troops  thus 
finding  easy  access  into  the  heart  of  the  city,  penetrated  into  the 
very  palace  and  surprising  the  guards,  cut  them  to  pieces  along 
with  the  king  himself.  Thus  the  city  was  suddenly  captured, 
in  the  midst  of  fancied  security,  and  an  end  put  to  the  dominion 
of  Babylon. 

The  most  of  the  particulars  of  this  taking  of  Babylon,  were 
foretold  by  the  prophets  Isaiah  and  Jeremiah.  They  both 
speak  of  the  drying  up  of  the  river,  not  merely  as  a  temporary 
evil,  but  one  which  was  to  render  Babylon  desolate  forever. 

Accordingly  the  waters  drawn  off  from  the  channel  by  Cyrus, 
were  never  brought  back,  but  were  left  to  diffuse  themselves 
over  the  surrounding  country  and  render  it  desolate  and  un- 
healthy.    Evil,  says  Isaiah,  shall  come  upon  thee   suddenly, 

14* 


158 

thou  shalt  not  know  from  whence  it  cometh.  This  evil  was  to 
come  upon  Babylon  as  a  punishment  for  her  idolatrous  worship 
and  her  oppressive  treatment  of  the  professed  people  of  God. 

The  Lord,  says  Jeremiah,  hath  raised  up  the  spirit  of  the 
Medes,  for  his  device  is  against  Babylon  to  destroy  it,  because 
it  is  the  vengeance  of  the  Lord,  the  vengeance  of  his  temple, 
the  violence  done  to  me  and  my  flesh  be  upon  Babylon,  shall 

the  inhabitants  of  Zion  say The  days  come  that  I  will 

do  judgment  upon  the  graven  images  of  Babylon.  According 
to  the  prophet  Jeremiah,  then,  the  Lord  should  come  in  judg- 
ment upon  Babylon,  he  would  muster  the  host  to  the  battle  and 
there  would  be  a  tumultuous  noise  of  the  kingdoms  of  nations 
gathered  together,  and  the  day  of  the  Lord  would  come  upon 
Babylon  as  a  destruction  from  the  Almighty.  When  we  call  to 
our  remembrance  that  the  destruction  of  Babylon  was  to  be  the 
work  of  the  kings  of  the  east,  that  the  drying  up  of  the  river 
Euphrates  proved  the  means  of  her  sudden  capture  and  ultimate 
ruin,  that  her  destruction  was  a  judgment  of  God  upon  her, 
for  her  idolatry  and  her  oppression  of  the  professors  of  the 
true  religion,  that  an  army,  composed  of  different  nations  was 
gathered  against  her  by  the  kings  of  the  east  and  witnessed  her 
fall,  and  that  the  period  of  her  fall  is  termed  the  day  of  the 
Lord,  the  day  of  her  destruction  from  the  Almighty,  we  are 
prepared  to  discover  the  meaning  of  the  contents  of  the  sixth 
vial.  We  are  to  understand  by  Babylon,  Roman  polity,  and  by 
the  river  Euphrates,  we  may  understand  the  Russians  as  being 
Greek  in  their  idolatrous  forms  of  religion,  and  in  their  impe- 
rial government. 

The  drying  up  or  drawing  off  the  river  so  as  to  leave  the  city 
exposed  and  unprotected,  intimates  that  the  population  of  the 
Greek  religion  and  institutions  will  now  abandon  the  idolatrous 
system  of  Roman  polity  continued  among  them.  And  this  loss 
of  defence  and  support  to  the  system,  will  prepare  the  way  for 
the  coming  of  some  combined  power  to  put  an  utter  end  to  that 


159 

polity,  in  the  Latin  or  western  world,  and  to  restore  the  worship 
and  polity  of  the  Christian  church,  to  purity  and  prosperity. 

With,  however,  the  coming  in  of  the  combined  power,  and 
before  the  destruction  and  desolation  of  the  Roman  system  of 
polity  and  idolatry,  there  will  occur  a  great  controversy  concern- 
ing the  invocation  of  deceased  men  and  women  as  demons  or 
mediators.  In  this  controversy,  the  dragon — the  party  opposed 
to  Christianity,  the  beast — the  Roman  Catholic  party,  and  the 
false  prophets — the  Roman  church,  as  the  infallible  teacher  of 
Christianity,  will  be  united  together  on  one  side,  who  compose 
the  other  side  will  appear  in  the  latter  part  of  the  nineteenth 
chapter. 

The  unclean  spirits  of  devils  (demons)  working  miracles, 
which  in  the  form  of  frogs  are  seen  coming  out  of  the  mouth  of 
„he  dragon,  and  out  of  the  mouth  of  the  beast,  and  out  of  the 
mouth  of  the  false  prophet,  represent  the  emissaries  which  each 
one  of  these  three  parties  will  send  forth  to  teach  the  invocation 
of  deceased  men  and  women  as  mediators. 

These  teachers  are  frogs  in  the  sense  of  babblers.  The  Greek 
word  in  its  root  signifies,  to  bawl,  to  speak  loud,  to  vociferate. 

These  emissaries,  in  their  manner  of  teaching,  will  display 
more  sound  than  sense,  and  be  noted  more  for  declamation  than 
sound  speech.  They  will  endeavour,  by  vehement  declamation, 
to  join  to  their  side  of  the  controversy,  men  of  station  and  au- 
thority, of  all  professions  and  opinions  in  respect  to  religion. 

Verse  16.  "And  he  (they)  gathered  them  together  into  a 
place  called  in  the  Hebrew  tongue  Armageddon,  (the  mountain 
of  destruction.)" 

It  was  by  the  waters  of  Megiddo  that  the  kings  of  Canaan 
fought  a  battle  with  the  Israelites  under  Deborah  and  Barak. 
In  this  battle,  the  Canaanites  were  so  signally  defeated  that  the 
commander-in-chief  was  obliged  to  flee  away  alone  and  on  foot. 

These  babblers  will  unite  the  men  of  station  and  authority 
with  the  assumption  of  some  proposition — some  position  in  argu- 
ment of  a  weak  and  indefeasible  nature,  where  their  defeat  will 


160 

be  sudden  and  decisive.  The  suddenness  of  this  defeat  is  ex- 
pressed in  the  fifteenth  verse.  "  Behold,  I  come  as  a  thief. 
Blessed  is  he  that  watcheth,  and  keepeth  his  garments,  lest  he 
walk  naked,  and  they  see  his  shame." 

The  end  of  the  controversy  is  not  a  part  of  the  sixth  vial  but 
of  the  seventh,  and  is  therefore  related  in  a  subsequent  (the 
latter  part  of  the  nineteenth)  chapter. 

Verse  17.  "  And  the  seventh  angel  poured  out  his  vial  into 
the  air;  and  there  came  a  great  voice  out  of  the  temple  of 
heaven,  from  the  throne,  saying,  It  is  done." 

The  retributions  of  divine  providence  on  Roman  idolatry  and 
power,  will  be  completed  under  this  vial.  This  last  portion  of 
retribution  will  begin  in  the  air,  or  public  mind,  and  reach  to 
changes  among  the  population  in  their  political  positions.  The 
public  mind  will  become  roused  into  indignation  and  anger,  and 
there  will  follow  some  great  revolution,  changing  the  positions 
of  the  different  portions  of  the  population  in  respect  to  rank  and 
influence. 

Verse  18.  "  An^l  there  were  voices,  and  thunders,  and  light- 
nings; and  there  was  a  great  earthquake,  such  as  was  not  since 
men  were  upon  the  earth,  so  mighty  an  earthquake,  and  so 
great." 

In  this  great  political  revolution,  the  various  idolatrous 
polities,  including  that  of  Rome,  will  share  in  one  common 
ruin. 

Verse  19.  "  And  the  great  city  was  divided  into  three  parts, 
and  the  cities  of  the  nations  fell :  and  great  Babylon  came  in 
remembrance  before  God,  to  give  unto  her  the  cup  of  the  wine 
of  the  fierceness  of  his  wrath." 

Jerusalem,  when  it  was  besieged  by  Titus,  was  divided  into 
three  parts,  and  among  three  parties,  and  these  parties  at  war 
with  each  other;  and  it  was  this  civil  war  that  brought  about 
the  capture  and  destruction  of  the  city. 

The  destruction  of  Roman  polity  will  be  brought  about  by 
party  division  among  its  adherents. 


161 

Verse  20.  "  And  every  island  fled  away,  and  the  mountains 
were  not  found." 

The  different  portions  of  the  population  will  be  reduced  into 
one  common  level  in  point  of  rank  or  eminence. 

Verse  21.  u  And  there  fell  upon  men  a  great  hail  out  of 
heaven,  every  stone  about  the  weight  of  a  talent :  and  men 
blasphemed  God  because  of  the  plague  of  the  hail;  for  the 
plague  thereof  was  exceeding  great.". 

Some  additional  heavy  calamity  will  overtake  the  votaries  of 
a  false  and  idolatrous  worship,  who,  in  their  daring  and  perverse 
impiety,  will  not  acknowledge  their  calamity  to  be  the  result  of 
a  righteous  retributive  providence. 

Like  the  ancient  Jews,  they  will  persevere  to  the  very  last  in 
defaming  the  revealed  truth  of  God  in  its  obvious  and  legitimate 
sense.  And  what  our  Lord  said  of  the  Jews  will  apply  to  them. 
"  The  heart  of  this  people  is  waxed  gross,  and  their  ears  are  dull 
of  hearing,  and  their  eyes  they  have  closed ;  lest  at  any  time 
they  should  see  with  their  eyes,  and  hear  with  their  ears,  and 
should  understand  with  their  heart,  and  should  be  converted, 
and  I  should  heal  them." 


162 

DISCOURSE   XIII. 
Rev.  xvii. 

"And  there  came  one  of  the  seven  angels  which  had  the  seven  vials, 
and  talked  with  me,  saying  unto  me,  Come  hither ;  I  will  show  unto 
thee  the  judgment  of  the  great  whore  that  sitteth  upon  many  waters  : 
with  whom  the  kings  of  the  earth  have  committed  fornication,  and  the 
inhabitants  of  the  earth  have  been  made  drunk  with  the  wine  of  her 
fornication.  So  he  carried  me  away  in  the  spirit  into  the  wilderness  : 
and  I  saw  a  woman  sit  upon  a  scarlet  coloured  beast,  full  of  names  of 
blasphemy,  having  seven  heads  and  ten  horns.  And  the  woman  was 
arrayed  in  purple  and  scarlet  colour,  and  decked  with  gold  and  precious 
stones  and  pearls,  having  a  golden  cup  in  her  hand  full  of  abominations 
and  filthiness  of  her  fornication :  and  upon  her  forehead  was  a  name 
written,  Mystery,  Babylon  the  Great,  the  Mother  of  Harlots  and  Abo- 
minations of  the  earth.  And  I  saw  the  woman  drunken  with  the  blood 
of  the  saints,  and  with  the  blood  of  the  martyrs  of  Jesus :  and  when  I 
saw  her,  I  wondered  with  great  admiration.  And  the  angel  said  unto 
me,  Wherefore  didst  thou  marvel?  I  will  tell  thee  the  mystery  of  the 
woman,  and  of  the  beast  that  carrieth  her,  which  hath  the  seven  heads 
and  ten  horns.  The  beast  that  thou  sawest  was,  and  is  not ;  and  shall 
ascend  out  of  the  bottomless  pit,  [the  abyss,  or  deep,]  and  go  into  per- 
dition :  and  they  that  dwell  on  the  earth  shall  wonder,  whose  names 
were  not  written  in  the  book  of  life  from  the  foundation  of  the  world, 
when  they  behold  the  beast  that  was,  and  is  not,  and  yet  is.  And  here 
is  the  mind  which  hath  wisdom.  The  seven  heads  are  seven  mountains, 
on  which  the  woman  sitteth.  And  there  are  [and  are]  seven  kings : 
five  are  fallen,  and  one  is,  and  the  other  is  not  yet  come  :  and  when  he 
cometh,  he  must  continue  a  short  space.  And  the  beast  that  was,  and 
is  not,  even  he  is  the  eighth,  [is  an  eighth  king  al  ne,]  and  is  of  the 
seven  and  goeth  into  perdition.  And  the  ten  horns  which  thou  sawest 
are  ten  kings,  which  have  received  no  kingdom  as  yet;  but  receive 
power  as  kings  one  hour  with  the  beast.  These  have  one  mind,  and 
shall  give  their  power  and  strength  unto  the  beast.  These  shall  make 
war  with  the  Lamb,  and  the  Lamb  shall  overcome  them :  for  he  is  Lord 
of  lords,  and  King  of  kings :  and  they  that  are  with  him  are  called,  and 
chosen,  and  faithful.  Ar.d  he  saith  unto  me,  The  waters  which  thou 
sawest,  where  the  whore  sitteth,  are  peoples,  and  multitudes,  and 
nations,  and  tongues.  And  the  ten  horns  which  thou  sawest  upon  the 
beast,  these  shall  hate  the  whore,  and  shall  mpke  her  desolate  and 
naked,  and  shall  eat  her  flesh,  and  burn  her  with  fire.  For  God  hath 
put  in  their  hearts  to  fulfil  his  will,  and  to  agree,  and  give  their  king- 
dom unto  the  beast,  until  the  words  of  God  shall  be  fulfilled.  And  the 
woman  which  thou  sawest  is  that  great  city,  which  reigneth  over  the 
kings  of  the  earth." 

Some  parts  of  the  contents  of  the  sixth  and  seventh  vials 
having  been  described  in  a  partial  manner,  are  now  described 
more  at  length,  in  the  seventeenth,  eighteenth  and  nineteenth 


163 

chapters.  The  seventeenth  and  eighteenth  chapters  give  a  par- 
ticular account  of  the  fall  and  punishment  of  Babylon,  while  the 
latter  part  of  the  nineteenth  chapter  gives  an  account  of  the 
great  battle,  which  results  in  taking  the  beast  and  the  false  pro- 
phet prisoners,  and  casting  them  alive  into  a  lake  of  fire  burning 
with  brimstone. 

The  beginning  of  this  seventeenth  chapter  informs  us  that  one 
of  the  seven  angels  which  had  the  seven  vials,  came  and  talked 
with  the  Apostle,  saying  unto  him,  "  Come  hither ;  I  will  show 
unto  thee  the  judgment  of  the  great  whore  that  sitteth  upon 
many  waters  :  with  whom  the  kings  of  the  earth  have  com- 
mitted fornication,  and  the  inhabitants  of  the  earth  have  been 
made  drunk  with  the  wine  of  her  fornication." 

Here  the  City  of  Rome  in  its  corporate  character,  under  the 
name  Babylon,  is  personified  by  an  unchaste  woman,  with  whom 
the  ruling  powers  have  had  idolatrous  connection,  and  of  whose 
existing  idolatrous  spirit  or  sentiment  the  people  have  drank, 
until  it  has  infused  into  them  a  kind  of  idolatrous  mania. 

The  woman  sits  upon  many  waters,  to  signify  that  the  autho- 
rity and  rule  of  this  city  corporation  extend  over  people  of  dif- 
ferent communities  and  languages.  The  angel  having  merely 
spoken  of  the  woman  to  the  Apostle,  now  proceeds  to  conduct 
him  to  the  wilderness  that  the  Apostle  might  see  her.  Accor- 
dingly he  sees  her  there  sitting  upon  a  scarlet  coloured  beast, 
full  of  names  of  blasphemy,  having  seven  heads  and  ten  horns. 

The  scene  is  in  the  wilderness,  because  it  is  to  the  woman 
and  the  beast,  upon  which  she  sits,  in  their  wilderness  or  deso- 
late state,  that  the  attention  of  the  Apostle  is  now  called.  The 
twelve  hundred  and  sixty  years  of  their  prevailing  power  and 
influence,  have  passed  away,  and  are  followed  by  the  period  of 
their  decline  and  fall. 

The  beast  with  seven  heads  and  ten  horns,  is  particularly 
described  in  the  thirteenth  chapter,  and  we  have  here,  the 
additional  information,  that  in  his  declining  state,  he  is  scarlet 
coloured.     The  scarlet  colour,  is  sometimes  symbolic  of  high 


1G4 

affluent  condition,  but  it  is  also  emblematic  of  crime,  cruelty, 
injustice,  oppression.  It  is  here,  no  doubt,  symbolic  of  the 
latter  sense.  The  oppressive  rule  of  this  body  of  men  towards 
protestants,  in  ages  past,  is  as  flagrant  as  scarlet.  It  has  also 
greatly  blasphemed  sacred  titles  and  divine  authority,  by 
abusing  them  to  forbidden  and  idolatrous  purposes,  and  teach- 
ing for  divine  truths  and  precepts,  the  fabrications  and  fictions 
of  false  men.  The  woman  sitting  upon  (riding)  this  scarlet 
coloured  beast,  personifies  Rome  ruling  this  great  body  of  men. 

The  4th  verse.  "  And  the  woman  was  arrayed  in  purple  and 
scarlet  color,  and  decked  with  gold,  and  precious  stones,  and 
pearls,  having  a  golden  cup  in  her  hand,  full  of  abominations 
and  filthiness  of  her  fornication." 

The  purple  and  scarlet,  and  gold,  and  precious  stones,  and 
pearls,  with  which  the  woman  is  clothed,  represent  the  various 
external  arts  which  Rome  uses,  to  enchant  the  senses  and  the 
imagination  in  favour  of  her  idolatry.  And  she  presents  her 
idolatrous  doctrine  to  her  votaries  in  a  golden  cup,  that  is,  in 
a  manner  and  style,  of  an  enticing  nature. 

5th  verse.  "  And  upon  her  forehead  was  a  name  written, 
mystery,  Babylon  the  great,  the  mother  of  harlots,  and  abomi- 
nations of  the  earth." 

This  inscription  on  her  forehead,  signifies,  that  she  now 
makes  no  secret  of  her  character,  as  the  mother  city  of  idolatry 
among  Christians,  and  as  in  a  mysticate  or  hidden  sense, 
Babylon,  the  great  founder  and  promoter  of  the  worship  of 
mediators  and  images. 

That  the  woman  should  thus  glory  in  her  shame,  corresponds 
with  what  is  declared  of  her  in  the  next  verse,  that  she  was 
drunk — that  she  had  indulged  to  intoxication  the  spirit  of  vin- 
dictiveness,  against  Christians  of  a  pure  faith  and  worship. 

Verse  6.  "  And  I  saw  the  woman  drunken  with  the  blood  of 
the  saints,  and  with  the  martyrs  of  Jesus.  And  when  I  saw,  I 
wondered  with  great  admiration." 

The   open   glorying   of  the  woman   in   her   lewdness — the 


165 

drunken  state  in  which  she  is  seen,  and  the  cause  of  that 
drunkenness,  greatly  excited  the  wonder  and  curiosity  of  the 
Apostle. 

It  is  indeed  wonderful — paradoxical — that  Rome,  receiving 
the  scriptures  as  inspired  records,  should  openly  glory  in  the 
part  which  she  has  taken,  in  nurturing  Christians  in  idolatry, 
so  evidently  condemned  and  forbidden  by  those  scriptures,  and 
that  she  should  persecute  and  punish  to  an  insane  excess,  those 
who  practise  and  contend  for  that  pure  worship  and  faith  which 
these  scriptures  so  clearly  and  positively  inculcate. 

It  is  indeed  strange,  that  a  city  so  barefaced  in  her  idolatry — 
a  city  which  has  persecuted  the  followers  of  a  pure  Christianity 
with  such  exceeding  madness,  should  be  the  professed  and 
acknowledged  capital  city  of  the  Christian  world. 

Verses  7  and  8.  "  And  the  angel  said  unto  me,  "Wherefore, 
didst  thou  marvel  ?  I  will  tell  thee  the  mystery  of  the  woman, 
and  of  the  beast  that  carrieth  her,  which  hath  the  seven  heads 
and  ten  horns.  The  beast  which  thou  sawest,  was,  and  is  not, 
and  yet  is,"  (or  is  yet  to  be.) 

This  beast  represents  the  Latin  catholic  body,  as  distinct  from 
the  Greek  catholic  body. 

In  the  time  of  St.  John,  or  at  the  close  of  the  first  century, 
the  Roman  empire  had  become  a  corporation  of  two  distinct 
kinds  or  characters  of  people — Latins  and  Greeks.  It  was  no 
longer  an  empire  or  corporation  purely  Latin  in  civilization 
and  power — but  was  a  combination  or  modification  of  two  ele- 
ments, Latin  and  Greek.  And  in  this  respect,  it  might  be  said 
of  it,  in  the  age  of  St.  John,  that  it  was,  and  is  not.  Upon  the 
death  of  Theodosius,  at  the  close  of  the  fourth  century,  the 
empire  was  divided  into  two  distinct  bodies,  corporate  and 
politic — the  one  Latin — the  other  Greek — the  one  retaining 
the  Latin  language  as  the  language  of  law  and  government,  and 
the  other,  in  the  course  of  a  short  time,  resuming  the  language  of 
the  people,  which  was  the  Greek.  And  now,  after  this  division, 
we  find  again,  a  corporation  distinctly  Latin  or  western.     And 

15 


166 

the  beast,  that  in  the  time  of  St.  John,  had  been,  and  was  not, 
is  now  again. 

About  eighty  years  after  the  separation  of  the  two  elements, 
the  Latin  corporation,  as  we  before  have  remarked,  was  wounded 
in  its  imperial  head,  and  lost  its  great  importance,  and  had  its 
existence  among  a  rude  and  turbulent  population,  who,  in  sym- 
bolic language,  are  represented  by  the  sea.  The  beast  comes 
up  out  of  the  sea  with  a  wounded  head.  The  Latin  corporation 
comes  into  importance  from  amidst  the  rude  turbulent  popula- 
tion of  the  west,  and  with  the  imperial  power  apparently  abol- 
ished. The  deadly  wound  of  the  beast  was  healed  when  Char- 
lemagne assumed  the  imperial  office  and  power  at  the  close  of 
the  eighth  century.  This  restoration  of  Latin  imperial  power, 
led  th  :>se  Romans,  who  had  fallen  into  an  idolatrous  form  of  Chris- 
tianity, to  regard  the  constitution  of  the  Latin  corporation,  as  one 
of  admirable  vigor  and  strength.  "  They  shall  wonder  or  admire, 
when  they  behold  the  beast  that  was,  and  is  not,  and  yet  is." 

The  Roman  corporation,  in  the  age  of  the  Apostle,  was  not, 
in  some  respects,  a  Latin  or  western  corporation,  and  yet  it  was 
the  same,  continued  in  a  modified  character.  The  words  "  yet 
is,"  may,  in  the  original,  however,  signify,  is  yet,  is  future,  is 
yet  to  come. 

In  the  sense  of  either  present,  or  future,  the  words  may  apply 
to  the  great  modern  Latin  corporation.  In  the  age  of  St.  John, 
it  might  be  said  of  the  Roman  corporation,  that  in  its  Latin  or 
western  independent  character,  it  was  not,  but  had  been,  and 
was  to  exist  again  in  a  future  age.  The  seven  heads,  are  seven 
mountains,  on  which  the  woman  sitteth.  Rome  was  built  upon 
seven  hills,  and  was  called  the  seven-hilled  city.  The  seven 
heads,  however,  besides  representing  these  seven  hills,  also 
represent  seven  different  kinds  or  forms  of  sovereign  power, 
that  one  after  another  held  the  place  of  supremacy. 

Verse  10.  "  And  there  are  (or  rather,  And  are,)  seven  kings, 
five  are  fallen,  and  one  is,  and  the  other  is  not  yet  come;  and 
when  he  cometh,  he  must  continue  a  short  space.  " 


167 

Livy,  the  Roman  historian,  names  the  first  five,  in  the  fol- 
lowing order  :  first  kings,  afterwards  consuls,  then  dictators, 
then  decemvirs,  then  consular  tribunes.  The  imperial  form, 
which  existed  in  the  time  of  St.  John,  was  the  sixth  kind  of 
sovereign  power. 

That  which  was  then  not  yet  come,  and  which  when  it  did 
come  was  to  continue  for  a  short  space,  and  then  give  place  to 
the  Latin  beast,  was  the  new  form  of  government  instituted  by 
Dioclesian,  and  perfected  by  Constantine  and  his  successors. 
This  new  form  retained  the  same  name  of  imperial  but  differed 
from  it  in  being  an  undisguised  autocracy.  Like  Augustus 
(we  are  using  the  language  of  Gibbon)  Dioclesian  may  be  con- 
sidered as  the  founder  of  a  new  empire.  He  framed  a  new 
system  of  imperial  government  which  was  afterwards  completed 
by  the  family  of  Constantine.  And  as  the  image  of  the  old 
constitution  was  religiously  preserved  in  the  senate,  he  resolved 
to  deprive  that  order  of  its  small  remains  of  power  and  consi- 
deration. Under  Dioclesian  and  his  successors  the  senate  of 
Rome  lost  all  connection  with  the  imperial  court  and  the  actual 
government,  and  Rome  ceased  to  be  the  capitol  of  the  empire. 
"  When  the  Roman  princes  had  lost  sight  of  the  senate  and  of 
"  their  ancient  capitol  they  forgot  the  organ  and  nature  of  their 
"  legal  power.  The  civil  offices  of  consul,  of  pro-consul,  of  cen- 
"  sor  and  of  tribune  by  the  union  of  which  it  had  been  formed, 
"  betrayed  to  the  people  its  republican  extraction.  These 
"  modest  titles  were  laid  aside  ;"  and  if  they  still  distinguished 
their  high  station  by  the  appellation  of  emperor  or  imperator, 
that  word  was  understood  in  a  new  and  more  dignified  sense, 
and  no  longer  denoted  the  general  of  the  Roman  armies  but  the 
sovereign  of  the  Roman  world.  If  the  successors  of  Dioclesian 
still  declined  the  title  of  king,  it  seems  to  have  been  the  effect 
not  so  much  of  their  moderation  as  of  delicacy.  Wherever  the 
Latin  tongue  was  in  use,  and  it  was  the  language  of  government 
throughout  the  empire,  the  imperial  title  as  it  was  peculiar  to 
themselves,  conveyed  a  more  respectable  idea  than  the  name  of 


168 

king,  which  they  must  have  shared  with  a  hundred  barbarian 
chieftains  ;  or  which  at  best  they  could  derive  only  from  Romu- 
lus or  Tarquin.  Even  the  attributes  or  at  least  the  titles  of  the 
divinity  were  usurped  by  Dioclesian  and  Maxentius,  who  trans- 
mitted them  to  a  succession  of  Christian  emperors." 

Dioclesian  also  assumed  the  diadem  and  introduced  into  the 
court  the  magnificence  and  ceremonial  of  the  court  of  Persia. 

"  The  aim  of  Augustus  in  the  form  of  government  which  he 
introduced  was  to  disguise  the  unbounded  power  which  the 
emperors  possessed  over  the  Roman  world,  while  in  the  new 
system  it  was  the  object  to  display  that  power.  Ostentation 
was  the  first  principle  of  the  new  system,  and  the  second  was 
division.  He  divided  the  empire,  the  provinces,  and  every 
branch  of  the  civil  as  well  as  military  administration."  The 
historian  speaks  of  these  innovations  as  constituting  a  new 
frame  of  policy,  a  new  form  of  civil  and  military  administration, 
a  new  system  of  imperial  government,  a  new  empire.  (Gibbon, 
Chap.  13,  in  different  places.) 

This  new  form  of  government,  this  new  kind  of  Roman 
sovereigns  continued  for  a  short  space,  a  period  of  about  ninety 
years,  when  in  the  year  395  the  Roman  empire  was  finally  and 
permanently  divided  into  the  two  distinct  corporations  of  the 
Latin  or  Western,  and  the  Greek  or  Eastern.  And  now  we 
find  the  Latin  corporation  in  its  second  independent  existence, 
and  with  a  sovereign  form  of  power,  which  being  the  seventh 
continued  with  some  modification  may  be  called  an  eighth. 
The  seventh  form — the  imperial  autocratic  began  now  in  the 
west  to  be  associated  in  a  peculiar  relation  with  certain  cotem- 
poraneous  sovereign  powers,  and  in  this  respect  was  a  somewhat 
different  form  of  power  from  that  which  was  constituted  by 
Dioclesian  and  Constantine,  and  which  has  been  continued 
through  a  succession  of  Greek  and  Russian  sovereigns  down  to 
the  present  day. 

The  11th  verse.  "And  the  beast  that  was  and  is  not,  even 


169 

he  (the  king)  is  the  eighth,  and  is  of  the  seven,  and  goeth  into 
perdition." 

The  supreme  sovereign  power  is  destined  in  this  eighth  or 
new  imperial  autocratic  form  to  have  its  last  form,  and  in  this 
last  form  to  go  into  perdition.  This  eighth  or  new  seventh 
form  hath  been  transmitted  from  Honorius  through  Charle- 
magne, and  a  succession  of  modern,  western  or  Latin  emperors. 

In  the  time  of  Bonaparte,  the  imperial  form  of  government 
was  peculiar  both  to  France  and  to  Austria.  But  after  the  fall 
of  Bonaparte,  Western  or  Latin  Europe  had  but  the  emperor 
of  Austria.  The  present  ruler  of  France  has  been  acting  over 
the  part  of  Pepin  and  Charlemagne  towards  Rome  and  its 
popes,  and  for  the  purpose  of  obtaining  papal  aid  and  sanction 
to  the  assumption  of  the  imperial  title  and  power. 

12th  verse.  "  And  the  ten  horns  which  thou  sawest  are  ten 
kings  which  (in  the  time  of  St.  John)  have  received  no  king- 
dom as  yet,  but  receive  power  as  kings,  one  hour  with  the 
beast." 

Ten  different  sovereign  powers  established  themselves  on  the 
ruins  of  the  western  or  Latin  empire.  These  ten  sovereign 
powers,  according  to  Machiavel,  were,  first,  the  Ostrogoths,  in 
Moesia;  second,  the  Visigoths,  in  Pavonia;  third,  the  Sueves 
and  Alans,  in  Grascoigne  and  Spain;  fourth,  the  Vandals,  in 
Africa;  fifth,  the  Franks,  in  France;  sixth,  the  Burgundians, 
in  Burgundy;  seventh,  the  Heruli  and  Turingi,  in  Italy;  eighth, 
the  Saxon  and  Angles,  in  Britain;  ninth,  the  Huns,  in  Hungary; 
tenth,  the  Lombards,  first  upon  the  Danube  and  afterwards  in 
Italy. 

These  sovereign  powers  were  at  first  but  ten,  but  afterwards 
their  number  varied,  being  sometimes  more  and  sometimes  less 
than  ten.  They  are  cotemporaneous,  not  successive  sovereigns. 
Their  power  as  kings  is  one  hour  with  the  beast — is  during  one 
and  the  same  period  of  time.  They  are  cotemporaneous  with 
the  eighth  supreme  sovereign  and  with  each  other. 

15* 


170 

The  13th  verse.  "  These  have  one  mind,  and  shall  give  their 
power  and  strength  unto  the  beast."  These  different  European 
powers  will  be  unanimous  in  lending  their  authority  and  aid  to 
the  Latin  corporation,  (Roman  Catholic.) 

The  14th  verse.  These  shall  make  war  with  the  Lamb,  and 
the  Lamb  shall  overcome  them,  for  he  is  Lord  of  Lords  and 
king  of  kings,  and  they  that  are  with  him  are  called  and  chosen 
and  faithful.  The  war  of  these  kings  with  the  Lamb  has  been 
noticed  in  the  pouring  out  of  the  sixth  vial,  and  is  noticed  here 
again ;  but  the  victory  of  the  Lamb  in  this  war  is  described  in 
the  nineteenth  chapter. 

15th.  And  he  (the  angel)  saith  unto  me,  the  waters  which 
thou  sawest,  where  the  whore  sitteth,  are  peoples,  and  multi- 
tudes, and  nations,  and  tongues.  They  represent  the  millions 
of  people  under  the  rule  and  influence  of  the  corporation  of 
Rome.  Two  hundred  millions  of  professed  Christians  acknow- 
ledge the  spiritual  supremacy  of  the  Roman  corporation. 

The  16th  verse.  And  the  ten  horns  which  thou  sawest  upon 
the  beast,  these  shall  hate  the  whore  and  make  her  desolate  and 
naked,  and  shall  eat  her  flesh  and  burn  her  with  fire. 

Burning  was  the  punishment  of  a  priest's  daughter  who  had 
violated  the  law  of  chastity.  And  the  daughter  of  any  priest, 
if  she  profane  herself  by  playing  the  whore,  she  profaneth  her 
father,  she  shall  be  burnt  with  fire.  Rome,  as  a  Christian 
Church,  hath  by  her  idolatrous  practices  profaned,  scandalized 
the  apostolic  ministry,  by  whom  she  was  begotten.  She  has 
wrought  folly  in  the  Christian  Israel,  and  dishonoured  her  apos- 
tolic parentage. 

The  different  European  powers  who  are  now  in  union  with 
the  Catholic  corporation  will  eventually  come  to  dislike  Rome, 
and  (make  her  desolate  and  naked)  deprive  her  of  her  rule  and 
influence,  (and  eat  her  flesh;)  consume  her  revenues — appro- 
priate them  to  their  own  use — (and  burn  her  with)  fire,  torment 
her  with  penal  afflictions. 


171 

17th  verse.  For  God  hath  put  into  their  hearts  to  fulfil  his 
will,  and  to  agree  and  give  their  kingdom  unto  the  beast  until 
the  words  of  God  are  fulfilled. 

God  will  allow  them  to  fulfil  his  purpose — and  to  fulfil  one 
purpose,  and  to  give  their  sovereign  authority  to  the  Latin 
Catholic  corporation  or  Church,  until  what  God  has  foretold 
concerning  their  withdrawal  from  that  corporation  has  been  ful- 
filled. When  the  purpose  of  divine  providence  is  fulfilled  the 
different  sovereign  Roman  Catholic  powers  will  separate  from 
the  great  corporation  with  which  they  are  now  in  communion, 
and  will  become  severe  in  their  penal  inflictions  upon  Rome 
itself  as  a  body  corporate  and  politic. 

The  1 8th  verse.  And  the  woman  which  thou  sawest  is  that 
great  city — which  reigneth  over  the  kings  of  the  earth — is  that 
great  city  or  corporation  of  Rome,  which,  in  the  age  of  the 
apostle,  was  the  capital  of  the  Roman  world,  and  was  at  the 
head  of  all  rule  and  authority. 


172 

DISCOURSE    XIV. 
Rev.  xviii. 


And  after  these  things  I  saw  another  angel  come  down  from  heaven, 
having  great  power  ;  and  the  earth  was  lightened  with  his  glory.  And 
he  cried  mightily  with  a  strong  voice,  saying  Babylon  the  great  is  fallen, 
is  fallen,  and  is  become  the  habitation  of  devils,  and  the  hold  of  every 
foul  spirit,  and  a  cage  of  every  unclean  and  hateful  bird.  For  all  nations 
have  drunk  of  the  wine  of  the  wrath  of  her  fornication,  and  the  kings 
of  the  earth  have  committed  fornication  with  her,  and  the  merchants  of 
the  earth  have  waxed  rich  through  the  abundance  of  her  delicacies. 
And  I  heard  another  voice  from  heaven,  saying,  Come  out  of  her,  my 
people,  that  ye  be  not  partakers  of  her  sins,  and  that  ye  receive  not  of 
her  plagues.  For  her  sins  have  reached  unto  heaven,  and  God  hath 
remembered  her  iniquities.  Reward  her  even  as  she  rewarded  you, 
and  double  unto  her  double  according  to  her  works :  in  the  cup 
which  she  hath  filled  fill  to  her  double.  How  much  she  hath  glorified 
herself,  and  lived  deliciously,  so  much  torment  and  sorrow  give  her  : 
for  she  saith  in  her  heart,  I  sit  a  queen,  and  am  no  widow,  and  shall 
see  no  sorrow.  Therefore  shall  her  plagues  come  in  one  day,  death,  and 
mourning,  and  famine ;  and  she  shall  be  utterly  burned  with  fire :  for 
strong  is  the  Lord  God  who  judgeth  her.  And  the  kings  of  the  earth 
who  have  committed  fornication  and  lived  deliciously  with  her,  shall 
bewail  her,  and  lament  for  her,  when  they  shall  see  the  smoke  of  her 
burning.  Standing  afar  off  for  the  fear  of  her  torment,  saying,  Alas, 
alas,  that  great  city  Babylon,  that  mighty  city  !  for  in  one  hour  is  thy 
judgment  come.  And  the  merchants  of  the  earth  shall  weep  and  mourn 
over  her:  for  no  man  buyeth  their  merchandise  anymore:  The  mer- 
chandise of  gold,  and  silver,  and  precious  stones,  and  of  pearls,  and 
fine  linen,  and  purple,  and  silk,  and  scarlet,  and  all  thyine  wood,  and 
all  manner  vessels  of  ivory,  and  all  manner  vessels  of  most  precious 
wood,  and  of  brass,  and  iron,  and  marble,  and  cinnamon,  and  odours, 
and  ointments,  and  frankincense,  and  wine,  and  oil,  and  fine  flour,  and 
wheat,  and  beasts,  and  sheep,  and  horses,  and  chariots,  and  slaves,  and 
souls  of  men.  And  the  fruits  that  thy  soul  lusted  after  are  departed 
from  thee,  and  all  things  which  were  dainty  and  goodly,  are  departed 
from  thee,  and  thou  shalt  find  them  no  more  at  all.  The  merchants  of 
these  things,  which  were  made  rich  by  her,  shall  stand  afar  off  for  the 
fear  of  her  torment,  weeping  and  wailing.  And  saying,  Alas,  alas,  ttut 
great  city,  that  was  clothed  in  fine  linen,  and  purple,  and  scarlet,  and 
decked  with  gold,  and  precious  st;nes  and  pearls!  For  in  one  hour  so 
great  riches  is  come  to  nought.  And  every  ship  master,  and  all  the 
company  in  ships,  and  sailors,  and  as  many  as  trade  by  sea,  stood  afar 
off,  and  cried  when  they  saw  the  smoke  of  her  burning,  saying,  What 


173 

great  city  is  like  unto  this  great  city !  And  they  cast  dust  on  their  heads, 
and  cried,  weeping  and  wailing,  saying,  Alas,  alas,  that  great  city,  wherein 
were  made  rich  all  that  had  ships  in  the  sea  by  reason  of  her  costliness ! 
for  in  one  hour  is  she  made  desolate.  Rejoice  over  her,  thou  heaven, 
and  ye  holy  apostles  and  prophets ;  for  God  hath  avenged  you  on  her. 
And  a  mighty  angel  took  up  a  stone  like  a  great  millstone,  and  cast  it 
into  the  sea,  saying,  Thus  with  violence  shall  that  great  city  Babylon 
be  thrown  down,  and  shall  be  found  no  more  at  all.  And  the  voice  of 
harpers,  and  musicians,  and  of  pipers,  and  trumpeters,  shall  be  heard 
no  more  at  all  in  thee  ;  and  no  craftsman,  of  whatsoever  craft  he  be 
shall  be  found  any  more  in  thee ;  and  the  sound  of  a  millstone  shall  be 
heard  no  more  at  all  in  thee  ;  And  the  light  of  a  candle  shall  shine  no 
more  at  all  in  thee ;  and  the  voice  of  the  bridegroom  and  of  the  bride 
shall  be  heard  no  more  at  all  in  thee  :  for  thy  merchants  were  the  great 
men  of  the  earth :  for  by  thy  sorceries  were  all  nations  deceived.  And 
in  her  was  found  the  blood  of  prophets,  and  of  saints,  and  of  all  that 
were  slain  upon  the  earth. 

In  the  preceding  chapter  Rome  is  spoken  of  in  her  charac- 
ter as  a  body  corporate  and  politic,  sustained  by  another  great 
body  corporate  and  politic.  In  this  present  chapter  Rome  is 
the  subject  of  prediction  in  reference  more  particularly  to  her 
polity. 

In  this  chapter,  three  voices  in  succession  speak  in  symbolic 
language  of  the  fall  and  ruin  of  the  polity  of  Rome.  The  first 
voice  is  that  of  an  angel  having  great  power  and  coming  down 
from  heaven  clothed  in  a  dazzling  light.  The  second  voice  is  a 
voice  from  heaven,  and  the  third  voice  is  that  of  a  mighty  angel 
who  speaks  by  actions  as  well  as  words. 

The  first  angel  cried  mightily  with  a  strong  voice,  saying, 
Babylon  the  great  is  fallen — is  fallen,  and  is  become  the  habita- 
tion of  devils,  (demons)  and  the  hold  of  every  foul  spirit,  and  a 
cage  of  every  unclean  and  hateful  bird.  For  all  nations  have 
drunk  of  the  wine  of  the  wrath  of  her  fornication,  and  the  kings 
of  the  earth  have  committed  fornication  with  her,  and  the  mer- 
chants of  the  earth  have  waxed  rich  through  the  abundance  of 
her  delicacies.  This  angel,  under  the  mystical  name  of  Baby- 
lon, pronounces  the  fall  and  ruin  of  Rome  in  her  system  of 
polity,  and  gives  the  reason  of  her  fall  and  ruin.  The  woman 
Babylon,  represents  Rome  as  a  body  corporate  and  politic,  while 


174 

the  city,  Babylon,  represents  Rome  as  a  polity,  the  word  polity 
being  derived  from  a  Greek  word  which  means  city. 

The  inhabitants  of  the  city — those  subjects  or  citizens  of 
Roman  polity  in  its  fallen  and  ruined  condition,  will  consist  of 
men  of  perverse  mind  and  corrupt  and  hateful  manners.  It 
will  become  a  refuge  for  men  of  such  character.  Its  fall  and 
ruin  are  declared  to  be  in  retribution  to  its  pernicious  influence 
upon  the  nations  and  rulers  and  merchants  of  the  earth. 

The  nations  or  people  had  imbibed  the  idolatrous  spirit  of 
Rome,  a  spirit  which  inspired  them  with  a  kind  of  idolatrous 
rage  or  mania,  the  rulers  had  formed  idolatrous  connections  with 
her  and  the  merchants,  the  divines,  the  religious  teachers  and 
ministers,  the  clergy,  had  become  great  and  powerful  through 
the  numerous  offices  and  means  of  authority  and  influence,  in 
which  she  abounded. 

In  the  forty-seventh  chapter  of  Isaiah,  in  which  the  prophet 
fortells  the  fall  and  ruin  of  ancient  Babylon,  he  applies  the  name 
of  merchants  to  her  enchanters,  her  sorcerers,  her  diviners,  her 
false  prophets,  her  teachers, "who  falsely  professed  to  understand 
and  reveal  the  will  and  counsels  of  heaven. 

The  first  voice  having  concluded,  the  apostle  hears  another 
voice  from  heaven  calling  upon  the  people  of  God  to  come  out 
of  the  doomed  city  and  to  aid  in  her  punishment. 

Verses  4-9.  "  And  I  heard  another  voice  from  heaven,  say- 
ing, Come  out  of  her  my  people,  that  be  ye  not  partakers  of  her 
sins,  and  that  ye  receive  not  of  her  plagues.  For  her  sins  have 
reached  unto  heaven,  and  God  hath  remembered  her  iniquities. 
Reward  her  even  as  she  rewarded  you,  and  double  unto  her 
double  according  to  her  works.  In  the  cup  which  she  hath 
filled,  fill  to  her  double.  How  much  she  hath  glorified  herself 
and  lived  deliciously,  so  much  torment  and  sorrow  give  her,  for 
she  saith  in  her  heart,  <  I  am  a  queen,  and  am  no  widow,  and 
shall  see  no  sorrow.'  Therefore  shall  her  plagues  come  in  one 
day,  death,  and  mourning,  and  famine,  and  she  shall  be  utterly 
burned  with  fire,  for  strong  is  the  Lord  God  who  judgeth  her." 


175 

Our  Lord  had  forewarned  the  Christian  Jews  that  when  they 
saw  Jerusalem  surrounded  by  Roman  armies,  they  should  be 
looking  for  its  speedy  capture  and  destruction,  and  that  they 
should  make  their  escape  as  soon  as  possible. 

Jerome  informs  us  that  the  Christian  Jews  who  believed  in 
Christ's  predictions,  left  the  city  before  its  final  siege  under 
Titus,  and  removed  to  a  neighbouring  town  called  Pella,  and  so 
escaped  the  miseries  that  followed.  In  accordance  with  this  por- 
tion of  Christian  history,  the  voice  from  heaven  calls  upon  Chris- 
tian people  to  sever  themselves  from  all  participation  in  the 
Roman  system  of  polity,  to  abandon  it  wholly,  to  give  it  no 
countenance,  to  have  no  communion  with  it,  lest  partaking  of 
its  sins,  they  should  also  partake  of  its  punishment.  To  urge 
them  to  such  withdrawal  and  removal  from  Rome,  they  are 
assured  that  the  sons  of  the  Roman  system  of  polity  were  like 
mountains  piled  upon  mountains  reaching  to  the  sky  and  draw- 
ing upon  it  the  notice  and  punishment  of  heaven.  All  Chris- 
tian people  are  therefore  enjoined  to  turn  against  it,  and  assist 
in  destroying  it. 

The  worst  corporations  may  have  some  upright  individuals 
belonging  to  them,  but  when  the  corporation  is  near  its  end,  all 
sincere  Christians  will  renounce  its  polity  and  leave  it  in  its  fate, 
just  as  all  Christian  Jews  abandoned  Jerusalem  at  its  final  siege 
by  the  Romans  and  would  take  no  part  in  its  defence. 

The  people  of  God  are  required  not  only  to  withdraw  from 
Rome,  but  to  punish  her  as  she  had  punished  them  ;  that  is  they 
are  to  urge  the  ruin  of  Rome,  not  in  her  individual  members  or 
in  her  wealth  and  buildings,  but  in  her  system  of  idolatrous 
worship  and  polity.  The  ruin  of  Rome  in  this  sense  is  also  to 
come  upon  her  in  the  midst  of  fancied  security,  even  while  she 
is  glorying  in  the  enduring,  eternal  nature  of  her  power ;  and 
boasting  that  she  is  not  without  powerful  protectors,  among  the 
governments  of  the  earth ;  that  she  is  not  like  a  widow ;  an 
unprotected  corporation.  Her  woes  will  come  together  within 
the  compass  of  a  short  time,  and  there  will  be  an  entire  end  or 


176 

consumption  of  her  power  and  glory,  she  shall  be  utterly  burned 
with  fire. 

The  voice  from  heaven  next  proceeds  to  describe  how  the 
kings  and  merchants  of  the  earth  and  those  who  have  to  do 
with  the  sea  will  lament,  and  how  the  people  of  God  will  rejoice 
when  they  behold  the  smoke  of  the  burning  city. 

The  sovereigns  or  rulers  who  were  partners  with  Rome  in  her 
idolatrous  doings,  are  filled  with  consternation  in  contemplating 
the  ruin  of  the  most  powerful  and  enduring  polity  that  had 
ever  existed.  Its  ruin  will  be  the  result  of  a  course  of  providence, 
so  evidently  beyond  their  control  that  they  will  stand  aloof,  and 
render  her  no  assistance ;  knowing  that  such  assistance  would 
be  in  vain,  and  would  only  involve  them  in  the  same  ruin.  A 
city  polity  that  under  various  changes  has  for  thousands  of 
years  been  regarded  as  the  reigning  polity  of  the  Roman  world, 
will  in  its  ruin  naturally  draw  forth  from  its  admirers,  and  ad- 
herents, expressions,  feelings  of  sorrow  and  regret.  And  similar 
feelings  and  expressions  will  be  elicited  from  the  merchants  of 
the  earth ;  the  divines  and  clergy  in  communion  with  Rome. 

Verses  7-11.  "  And  the  merchants  of  the  earth  shall  weep 
and  mourn  over  her ;  for  no  man  buyeth  their  merchandize  any 
more.  The  merchandize  of  gold  and  silver,  and  precious  stones, 
and  of  pearls  and  fine  linen,  and  purple  and  silk,  and  scarlet  and 
all  thyine  wood,  and  all  manner  vessels  of  ivory,  and  all  manner 
vessels  of  most  precious  wood,  and  of  brass,  and  iron,  and  mar- 
ble. And  cinnamon,  and  odours,  and  ointments,  and  frankin- 
cense, and  wine  and  oil,  and  fine  flour,  and  wheat,  and  beasts, 
and  sheep  and  horses,  and  chariots  and  slaves  (bodies,)  and  souls 
of  men." 

"  And  the  fruits  that  thy  soul  lusteth  after  are  departed  from 
thee,  and  all  things  which  were  dainty  and  goodly,  are  departed 
from  thee,  and  thou  shalt  find  them  no  more  at  all." 

"  The  merchants  of  these  things  which  were  made  rich  by 
her,  shall  stand  afar  off,  for  the  fear  of  her  torment,  weeping 
and  wailing.     And  saying  Alas,  Alas  !  that  great  city  that  was 


, 


177 

clothed  in  fine  linen,  and  purple,  and  scarlet,  and  decked  with 
gold  and  precious  stones,  and  pearls.  For  in  one  hour  so  great 
riches  is  come  to  naught." 

These  various  articles  of  merchandize  represent  those  multi- 
plied precious  means  of  influence,  in  which  this  polity  abounds. 
Those  means  comprehend  matters  of  doctrine,  discipline  and 
worship.  Those  of  the  clergy  rich  in  these  means  become 
great  and  honourable. 

The  dealers  in  these  multiplied  valuable  means  of  influence 
will  now  find  their  business  at  an  end,  and  like  the  civil  rulers 
they  will  witness  with  grief  the  consumption  and  ruin  of  this 
once  mighty  polity,  and  be  astonished  that  it  could  be  consumed 
and  ruined,  and  all  the  means  of  influence  destroyed  in  so  short 
a  time.     u  In  one  hour  so  great  riches  is  come  to  naught." 

Verses  17-20.  "And  every  ship  master,  and  all  the  com- 
pany in  ships  and  sailors,  and  as  many  as  trade  by  sea,  stood 
afar  off,  and  cried  when  they  saw  the  smoke  of  her  burning  say- 
ing, '  What  city  is  like  unto  this  great  city.'  And  they  cast 
dust  on  their  heads  and  cried,  weeping  and  wailing,  saying, 
Alas,  Alas !  that  great  city  wherein  were  made  rich  all  that  had 
ships  in  the  sea,  by  reason  of  her  costliness;  for  in  one  hour  is 
she  made  desolate." 

All  those  different  persons  whose  business  is  with  the  sea  re- 
present the  clergy  who  have  to  do  with  the  great  mass  of  the 
population,  the  less  refined  and  submissive  population  compre- 
hending various  nations  and  languages.  The  great  emporium  of 
their  means  of  greatness  has  been  consumed  ;  all  those  means 
have  vanished  in  a  moment,  their  business  and  greatness  are 
now  at  an  end. 

The  voice  from  heaven  concludes  in  the  20th  verse,  with  the 
following  language.  "  Rejoice  over  her  thou  heaven,  and  ye 
holy  apostles  and  prophets,  for  God  hath  avenged  you  on  her." 

The  Roman  polity  in  its  ruin  will  receive  no  sympathy  from 
the  faithful  teacher  and  ministers  of  Christ,  and  the  persecu- 

16 


178 

tions  and  penal  inflictions  with  which  it  pursued  them,  will  be 
avenged  in  the  completeness  and  severity  of  its  ruin. 

After  the  angel  from  heaven,  and  the  voice  from  heaven  had 
concluded  what  each  had  to  say,  a  third  angel  responds  to 
them  by  a  striking  action  accompanied  with  corresponding 
words. 

Verses,  21-24.  "  And  a  mighty  (strong)  angel  took  up  a 
stone  like  a  great  millstone,  and  cast  it  into  the  sea,  saying,  Thus 
with  violence  shall  that  great  city  Babylon  be  thrown  down,  and 
shall  be  found  no  more  at  all,  and  the  voice  of  harpers  and 
musicians,  and  of  pipers  and  trumpeters,  shall  be  heard  no  more 
at  all  in  thee ;  and  no  craftsmen  of  whatever  craft  he  be,  shall 
be  found  any  more  in  thee  j  and  the  sound  of  a  mill  stone  shall 
be  heard  no  more  at  all  in  thee. 

"  And  the  light  of  a  candle  shall  shine  no  more  at  all  in  thee, 
and  the  voice  of  the  bridegroom,  and  of  the  bride,  shall  be  heard 
no  more  at  all  in  thee ;  for  the  merchants  were  the  great  men 
of  the  earth ;  for  by  thy  sorceries  were  .all  nations  deceived. 

"  And  in  her  was  found  the  blood  of  prophets,  and  of  saints, 
and  of  all  that  were  slain  upon,  the  earth." 

The  50th  and  51st  chapters  of  the  book  of  Jeremiah,  consist; 
of  predictions  concerning  the  fall  of  ancient  Babylon.  They 
were  written  during  the  captivity  of  the  Jews  in  Babylon,  and 
the  manuscript  was  given  to  Seraiah,  a  Jewish  prince,  who  was 
going  to  Babylon  on  some  business  of  King  Zedekiah,  in  order 
that  he  might  read  it  to  the  captive  Jews  there,  and  encourage 
them  with  the  assurance  that  after  the  seventieth  year  of  their 
captivity,  their  captors  would  be  conquered  by  the  kings  of  the 
east,  of  Media  and  Persia,  and  be  deprived  of  all  power  over 
the  Jews.  So  Jeremiah  wrote  in  a  book  all  the  evil  that  should 
come  upon  Babylon,  even  all  these  words  that  are  written.  And 
Jeremiah  said  to  Seraiah.  When  thou  comest  to  Babylon  and 
shalt  see  and  read  all  these  words.  Then  shalt  thou  say,  0 
Lord,  Thou  hast  spoken  against  this  place  to  cut  it  ofl*,  that 


179 

none  shall  remain  in  it,  neither  man  nor  beast,  bnt  it  shall  be 
desolate  for  ever. 

And  it  shall  be  when  thou  hast  made  an  end  of  reading  this 
book,  that  thou  shalt  bind  a  stone  to  it  and  cast  it  into  the 
midst  of  Euphrates.  And  thou  shalt  say,  thus  shall  Baby- 
lon sink,  and  shall  not  rise  from  the  evil  that  I  will  bring 
upon  her. 

This  action  of  Seraiah  was  both  a  sign  and  an  assurance  of 
the  fall  of  this  tyrannical  city  from  its  power  and  influence. 
And  the  similar  action  and  language  of  the  angel  were  intended 
to  assure  Christians  that  the  city  of  Rome  in  her  system  of 
polity  is  destined  not  only  to  fall  from  her  supremacy,  but  to 
sink  into  the  lowest  degradation  and  contempt,  so  that  she  will 
no  more  be  found  among  politics,  and  no  more  give  any  indica- 
tions of  activity  and  prosperity.  This  angel  also  confirms  what 
the  preceding  angel  declared  concerning  the  reason  of  the  fall 
and  ruin  of  Roman  polity,  that  it  had  deceived  all  nations  by 
its  pious  frauds  in  teaching  and  ruling,  by  its  false  doctrines 
and  unfounded  authority,  that  by  these  means  its  merchants, 
its  teachers  and  divines  became  great  and  powerful,  and  that 
under  its  administration  and  rule  faithful  teachers  and  good 
men  have  been  persecuted  unto  death.  Rome  as  the  ruling 
polity  in  the  Roman  world  is  spoken  of  as  accountable  for  the 
wrong  done  to  those  who  have  capitally  suffered  for  a  pure 
Christianity  in  the  Roman  world. 

Pagan  Rome  established  the  precedent  of  punishing  those 
who  would  not  participate  in  her  idolatrous  worship.  And 
Christian  Rome  greatly  improved  on  the  precedent.  How  cruel 
and  unjust  have  been  their  conduct  in  the  pains  and  penalties 
which  they  have  inflicted  upon  men  for  teaching  and  practising 
a  pure  Christianity.  Such  conduct  is  not  merely  incidental, 
but  it  is  constitutional  in  her  system  of  polity. 

Thus  Rome  in  retribution  upon  its  pious  frauds,  its  bewitch- 
ing idolatry,  and  its  penal  inflictions  on  good  men,  is  destined 
in  the  course  of  Divine  Providence  to  be  utterly  ruined,  and  to 


180 

become  utterly  desolate  as  a  corporate  or  living  polity.  And 
this  event  will  be  a  subject  of  great  rejoicing  and  praise  among 
the  servants  of  God,  as  we  learn  in  the  beginning  of  the  next 
chapter. 

Rev.  xix.  1-10.  "  And  after  these  things,  I  heard  a  great 
voic^  of  much  people  in  heaven  saying,  Alleluia  !  Salvation  and 
glory  and  honor  and  power  unto  the  Lord  our -God.  For  true 
and  righteous  are  his  judgments;  for  he  hath  judged  the  great 
whore  which  did  corrupt  the  earth  with  her  fornication,  and 
hath  avenged  the  blood  of  his  servants  at  her  hand.  And 
again  they  said,  Alleluia,  And  her  smoke  arose  up  for  ever  and 
ever. 

"  And  the  four  and  twenty  elders  and  the  four  beasts  fell  down 
and  worshipped  God  that  sat  on  the  throne,  saying,  Amen, 
Alleluia. 

"  And  a  voice  came  out  of  the  throne,  saying,  Praise  our  God, 
all  ye  his  servants,  and  ye  that  fear  him,  both  small  and  great. 

"  And  I  heard  as  it  were  the  voice  of  a  great  multitude,  and 
as  the  voice  of  many  waters,  and  as  the  voice  of  mighty 
thunderings,  saying,  Alleluia  !  for  the  Lord  God  Omnipotent 
reigneth. 

"  Let  us  be  glad  and  rejoice  and  give  honor  to  him  ;  for  the 
marriage  of  the  Lamb  is  come,  and  his  wife  hath  made  herself 
ready. 

"  And  to  her  was  granted,  that  she  should  be  arrayed  in  fine 
linen,  clean  and  white,  for  the  fine  linen  is  the  righteousness  of 
saints. 

"  And  he  saith  unto  me,  Write,  Blessed  are  they  which  are 
called  unto  the  marriage  supper  of  the  Lamb.  And  he  saith 
unto  me,  These  are  the  true  sayings  of  God.  And  I  fell  at  his 
feet  to  worship  him.  And  he  said  unto  me,  See  thou  do  it  not ; 
I  am  thy  fellow  servant,  and  of  thy  brethren  that  have  the  tes- 
timony of  Jesus.  Worship  God ;  for  the  testimony  of  Jesus  is 
the  spirit  of  prophecy." 

After  the  burning  up  of  the  city,  and  its  reduction  into  a 


181 

smoking  ruin,  four  different  voices  in  heaven  one  after  another, 
exclaim,  Alleluia,  which  is  a  word  of  Hebrew  derivation,  and 
means,  Praise  ye  Jah.  (Jehovah).  » 

The  first  voice  was  a  great  voice  of  much  people  in  heaven, 
who  speak  of  the  retribution  inflicted  upon  Rome,  (her  system 
of  polity),  as  an  event  for  which  the  great  ruler  of  the  world 
ought  to  be  praised  and  honoured,  assuring  us  that  in  her  polity 
Rome  is  to  remain  in  an  eternal  state  of  desolation — remain  for 
ever  a  heap  of  smoking  ruins,  and  serve  as  a  fearful  monument 
of  the  righteous  Providence  to  all  future  ages. 

The  voice  of  the  much  people  in  heaven  who  loudly  demand 
praise  to  Jehovah,  is  responded  to  by  the  twenty-four  elders  and 
the  four  living  ones,  saying,  Amen,  (Yea,  Verily)  Praise  ye 
Jehovah.  And  now  a  third  voice  comes  out  of  the  very  throne, 
the  seat  of  divine  judgment  and  authority^  in  confirmative  re- 
sponse, calling  upon  all  who  serve  and  fear  God  to  praise  Jeho- 
vah. And  then  another  voice  as  that  of  an  immense  multitude 
comes  out  in  the  loudest  confirmative  response,  to  praise  God  ; 
declaring  that  the  joyful  period  of  the  reign  of  the  Omnipotent 
and  of  the  marriage  of  the  Lamb  had  come. 

According  to  the  prophet  Daniel  as  well  as  St.  John,  after 
the  judgment  shall  sit  and  take  away  the  dominion  of  Rome,  to 
jonsume  and  destroy  it  unto  the  end,  the  kingdom  and  domi- 
nion and  the  greatness  of  the  kingdom  under  the  whole  heaven, 
•  hall  be  given  to  the  people  of  the  saints  of  the  Most  High, 
whose  kingdom  is  an  everlasting  kingdom,  and  all  dominions 
shall  serve  and  obey  him. 

This  glorious  period  of  the  kingdom  of  the  Most  High,  or 
reign  of  the  Omnipotent,  will  be  introduced  with  a  joyful  event, 
the  marriage  of  the  Lamb  to  his  wife,  the  Church. 

The  figure  of  a  marriage  is  applied  to  the  Church  of  God, 
under  the  old  dispensation,  and  is  applied  to  the  Church  of  God 
at  different  periods  under  the  new  dispensation. 

In  the  parable  of  the  king  who  made  a  marriage  for  his  son, 
as  related  in  the  22d  chapter  of  Matthew,  the  marriage  supper 

16* 


182 

takes  place  after  the  destruction  of  Jerusalem.  After  the  invi- 
tation to  the  gospel  supper  had  been  preached  for  some  years, 
an,d  was  rejected  by  the  majority  of  the  Jews,  the  king  was  wroth, 
and  he  sent  forth  his  armies  and  destroyed  these  murderers 
and  burnt  up  their  city.  Then  saith  he  to  his  servants,  to  his 
ministers,  the  wedding  is  ready — the  time  for  the  solemnization 
of  the  marriage  and  for  the  accompanying  festivity,  is  come — 
the  time  for  a  new  and  more  privileged  and  joyful  state  of  the 
Church  has  arrived,  and  as  the  Jewish  nation  is  not  worthy  of 
this  state,  go  among  the  nations  or  Gentiles  and  bid  them  to 
come  into  the  Christian  Church  and  participate  in  the  blessings 
and  privileges  of  the  gospel  dispensation. 

The  old  dispensation  virtually  ended  in  the  death  of  Christ, 
but  it  did  not  actually  come  to  an  end  in  its  national  character 
until  the  destruction  of  Jerusalem  and  the  abolition  of  the 
temple  worship.  And  so  the  new  dispensation  commenced  upon 
the  death  and  resurrection  of  Christ,  but  not  in  full  force  and 
power  until  after  the  destruction  of  Jerusalem  and  the  temple. 
Hence  this  destruction  is  called  in  Scripture  the  coming  of 
Christ  or  Christianity,  that  is  the  coming  of  Christianity  in 
general  power  and  influence  among  the  nations  of  the  earth — 
among  the  Gentiles. 

The  destruction  of  Jerusalem  and  the  temple  in  all  its  pre- 
ceding and  accompanying  circumstances,  accorded  so  exactly 
with  the  predictions  of  Christ  and  his  Apostles,  that  it  had  a 
powerful  influence  in  persuading  men  of  the  truth  of  Chris- 
tianity, and  prepared  the  way  for  its  reception  by  the  Gentiles. 
While  at  the  same  time  it  deprived  the  Jews  of  all  power  to 
oppress  and  persecute  the  teachers  and  professors  of  Christianity, 
and  brought  great  glory  and  honor  to  the  gospel  as  a  miracu- 
lous revelation,  and  taught  those  who  reject  this  revelation,  to 
expect  a  fearful  retribution.  Now  the  ruin  of  Rome  in  her 
corporate  politic  character  will  bring  great  deliverance  and  sal- 
vation to  the  faithful  teachers  and  professors  of  a  pure  Chris- 
tianity, and  will  with  powerful  effect  convince  the  world  of  the 


183 

miraculous  knowledge  communicated  by  the  Christian  revela- 
tion, and  so  prepare  the  minds  of  men  for  its  coming  in  univer- 
sal and  millenial  influence  and  glory.  This  utter  ruin  of  Rome 
in  her  corporate — politic  character,  will  more  signally  display 
the  miraculous  foreknowledge  and  predictions  of  the  gospel,  and 
the  equity  and  righteousness  of  divine  Providence,  and  produce 
more  glorious  results  than  the  abolition  of  the  Jewish  polity  and 
worship. 

And  if  the  figurative  language  of  a  marriage  have  been  applied 
to  the  Christian  Church  after  the  ruin  of  Jewish  polity  and 
worship,  it  is  with  increased  propriety  applied  to  the  Christian 
Church  after  the  predicted  ruin  of  Roman  polity  and  worship. 

The  marriage  of  the  Lamb  is  come,  and  her  wife  hath  made 
herself  ready.  And  to  her  was  granted  that  she  should  be 
arrayed  in  linen  clean  and  white,  for  the  fine  linen  is  the  right- 
eousness of  saints.  The  Christian  Church  in  her  millenial  mar- 
ried state  will  be  a  body  of  people  who  practise  virtue  and  piety 
— and  the  rectitude  of  their  conduct  will  make  the  body  appear 
pure  and  illustrious  in  the  eyes  of  the  public.  This  righteous- 
ness of  her  people  will  far  exceed  that  of  the  people  of  the 
Roman  polity.  And  the  Christian  Church  becoming  a  corpora- 
tion of  faithful  men,  honouring  their  profession  by  a  correct  and 
consistent  practice,  will  be  brought  into  an  enduring  state  of 
cheerful  obedience  to  Christ,  and  of  affectionate  confidence  in 
Him. 

The  Church  in  her  corporate  politic  character,  and  Cbrist  in 
his  doctrine  and  discipline  and  worship,  will  come  in  the  mil- 
lenium,  be  united  together  in  a  most  close  and  affectionate  rela- 
tion. 

When  the  angel  who  had  been  showing  these  prophecies  to 
the  apostle  and  explaining  the  sense  of  them,  had  come  to  this 
glorious  and  joyful  period  and  state  of  the  Christian  body,  cor- 
porate and  politic,  and  declared  that  whereto  he  had  revealed 
concerning  these  future  joyful  events  were  true  words  of  Uod, 
the  apostle  was  so  delighted  with  the  declaration,  and  at  the 


184 

same  time  so  struck  with  the  extraordinary  knowledge  evinced 
by  the  angel  in  explaining  the  sense  of  these  prophetic  symbolic 
visions,  that  he  fell  down  at  his  feet  to  worship  him,  but  the 
angel  forbade  him,  for  the  reason  that  the  apostle  in  the  testi- 
mony— the  teaching  of  Christ  equal  to  him  (the  angel)  and 
possessed  the  spirit  —  the  sense — the  substance — the  living 
realty  contained  in  the  symbols  and  images  of  prophecy,  that 
he,  the  angel,  was  but  the  fellow  servant  of  the  apostle,  and  was 
no  more  worthy  of  worship  than  the  apostle  himself,  and  that 
if  the  apostle  wished  to  show  his  admiration  of  supernatural 
knowledge  by  worship,  he  must  render  that  worship  to  God. 


185 

DISCOURSE    XV. 

Rev.  xix.  11-21. 

"  And  I  saw  heaven  opened,  and  behold,  a  white  horse  :  and  he  that 
sat  upon  him  was  called  Faithful  and  True,  and  in  righteousness  he 
doth  judge  and  make  war.  His  eyes  were  as  a  flame  of  fire,  and  on  his 
head  were  many  crowns :  and  he  had  a  name  written,  that  no  man 
knew,  but  he  himself.  And  he  was  clothed  in  a  vesture  dipped  in 
blood  ;  and  his  name  is  called  the  Word  of  God.  And  the  armies  which 
were  in  heaven,  followed  him  upon  white  horses,  clothed  in  fine  linen, 
white  and  clean.  And  out  of  his  mouth  goeth  a  sharp  sword,  that  with 
it,  he  should  smite  the  nations ;  and  he  shall  rule  them  with  a  rod  of 
iron :  and  he  treadeth  the  wine-press  of  the  fierceness  and  wrath  of 
Almighty  God.  And  he  hath  on  his  vesture,  and  on  his  thigh,  a  name 
written — King  of  Kings  and  Lord  of  Lords.  And  I  saw  an  angel  stand- 
ing in  the  sun  ;  and  he  cried  with  a  loud  voice,  to  all  the  fowls  that  fly 
in  the  midst  of  heaven,  Come  and  gather  yourselves  together,  unto 
the  supper  of  the  great  God,  That  ye  may  eat  the  flesh  of  kings,  and 
the  flesh  of  captains,  and  the  flesh  of  mighty  men,  and  the  flesh  of 
horses,  and  of  them  that  sit  on  them,  and  the  flesh  of  all  men,  both  free 
and  bond,  both  small  and  great.  And  I  saw  the  beast,  and  the  kings 
of  the  earth  and  their  armies  gathered  together,  to  make  war  against 
him  that  sat  on  the  horse,  and  against  his  army.  And  the  beast  was 
taken,  and  with  him  the  false  prophet  that  wrought  miracles  before 
him,  with  which  he  deceived  them  that  had  received  the  mark  of  the 
beast,  and  them  that  worshipped  his  image.  These  both  were  cast  alive 
into  a  lake  of  fire  burning  with  brimstone.  And  the  remnant  were 
slain  with  the  sword  of  him  that  sat  upon  the  horse,  which  sword  pro- 
ceeded out  of  his  mouth  ;  all  the  fowls  were  filled  with  their  flesh." 

Having  described  the  end  of  Babylon,  or  Rome,  as  a  corpora- 
tion and  a  polity,  this  prophecy  goes  on  to  describe  certain 
attending  events,  such  as  the  fighting  of  the  great  battle,  spoken 
of  under  the  sixth  vial,  and  its  issue  in  the  capture  of  the  beast 
and  of  the  false  prophet,  and  the  slaughter  of  the  kings  of  the 
earth  and  their  armies. 

We  found  under  the  sixth  vial,  the  beast,  the  false  prophet, 
and  the  dragon,  sending  forth  their  emissaries,  to  gather 
together  the  kings  of  the  earth,  and  of  the  whole  world,  into 
Armageddon,  to  the  battle  of  the  great  day  of  God  Almighty. 
As  the  fighting  and  issue  of  the  battle  did  not  come  within  the 


186 

period  of  the  sixth  vial,  but  ran  into  that  of  the  seventh,  an 
account  of  them  was  deferred  to  the  present  chapter. 

In  the  period  of  the  sixth  vial,  Babylon  is  left  exposed  by 
the  drying  up  of  the  river  Euphrates,  which  flowed  through  the 
midst  of  it,  but  its  conflagration  and  destruction  are  to  occur  in 
the  period  of  the  seventh  vial. 

The  river  Euphrates  was  dried  up  to  make  way  for  some 
combined  powers,  who  were  to  capture  the  city,  and  put  an  end 
to  its  rule  and  power,  and  to  give  protection  and  freedom  to  the 
true  religion.  The  issue  of  the  great  battle,  is  impliedly  the 
immediate  forerunner  of  the  ruin  of  Babylon  in  its  power  and 
authority.  In  the  contests  of  the  seventh  vial,  we  have  found 
that  Babylon,  immediately  before  its  ruin,  will,  like  Jerusalem, 
be  divided  into  three  parties,  all  hostile  to  each  other,  and  only 
united  in  contending  against  one  common  enemy.  Perhaps,  we 
are  to  understand  these  three  parties  to  be — the  party  of  the 
dragon,  (the  infidel  party) — the  party  of  the  beast,  (the  Soman 
catholic  party) — and  the  party  of  the  false  prophets,  (the  Roman 
party.) 

They  will,  in  a  certain  degree  be  opposed  to  each  other,  but 
they  will  unite  in  inculcating  certain  erroneous  principles,  by 
means  of  their  emissaries,  for  the  purpose  of  bringing  to  the 
aid  and  defence  of  Roman  polity,  all  the  different  rulers  and 
governments  yet  favorably  disposed  towards  Rome. 

The  erroneous  principles — the  erroneous  emissaries  or  teachers 
sent  forth  from  these  three  parties  respectively,  have  to  do  with 
devils  or  demons — that  is,  beings  supposed  to  be  invested  with 
certain  middle  and  mediating  power  and  authority  between  the 
court  of  heaven  and  men  living  on  the  earth. 

The  battle,  will  be  a  battle  of  opinion.  It  will  be  a  contest 
of  mind — a  great  controversy  concerning  the  invocation  and 
honouring  of  angels,  and  of  deceased  men  and  women,  as  inter- 
cessors and  mediators  in  the  court  of  heaven. 

In  this  controversy,  the  Roman  party,  the  Roman  catholic 
party,  and  the  infidel  party,  however  disaffected  towards  each 


187 

other,  will  unite  on  one  side  of  this  controversy,  and  deny,  that 
Christ  is  to  be  invoked  and  honoured  as  the  sole  mediator  to 
the  exclusion  of  all  angels  or  deceased  persons. 

If  Rome,  in  its  false  character  as  a  divine  infallible  teacher 
of  revealed  truth — as  the  seat  of  infallible  teaching  takes  the 
lead  on  one  side  of  this  controversy — Christ,  as  a  prophet  or 
teacher,  faithful  and  true — that  is,  Christ  in  his  teaching  or 
word,  as  delivered  to  us  in  holy  scripture,  takes  the  lead  on  the 
other  side. 

Verse  11.  "  And  I  saw  heaven  opened,  and  behold,  a  white 
horse ;  and  he  that  sat  upon  him,  was  called  Faithful  and  True ; 
in  righteousness  he  doth  judge  and  make  war." 

The  white  horse  is  symbobc  of  a  controversy  waged,  and  a 
victory  won,  in  accordance  with  truth  and  equity.  The  rider 
of  the  white  horse,  the  leader  in  this  controversy,  is  called 
faithful  and  true,  because  he  is  the  Amen — the  faithful  and 
true  witness — the  infallible  teacher  of  divine  truth,  and  divine 
law.  In  declaring  to  mankind,  the  truth  and  will  of  heaven, 
he  faithfully  declared  them  as  he  had  received  them  in  heaven 
from  his  Father. 

He  did  not  make  use  of  his  office  as  a  divine  teacher  and  wit- 
ness, to  impose  on  the  world  his  own  fabrications  as  divine  law 
and  truth. 

"  The  Father  gave  me  a  commandment,  what  I  should  say 
and  what  I  should  speak.  Whatsoever  I  speak,  even  as  the 
Father  said  unto  me,  so  I  speak."  Our  Lord,  too,  in  his 
various  contests  of  argument  with  his  opposers,  always  reasoned 
fairly  and  justly — he  made  use  of  no  guile  or  sophistry — or 
appeals  to  ignorance,  prejudice  and  passion. 

Verse  12.  "  His  eyes  were  as  a  flame  of  fire,  and  on  his  head 
were  many  crowns ;  and  he  had  a  name  written  which  no  man 
knew  but  he  himself." 

His  eyes  of  fire  denote  his  acute  perception — his  intellectual 
power  to  penetrate  every  dark  corner  of  error,  and  to  detect  the 
most  hidden  sophistry,  so  that  no  mask  or  fair  speech  could  con- 


188 

ceal  from  him  the  guile  and  subtlety  of  his  opposers.  Such  a 
piercing  understanding  did  he  manifest  in  his  words  and  answers 
when  questioned  by  his  opposers,  that  they  at  length  ceased  to 
contend  with  him  in  argument.  The  crowns  on  his  head  are 
significant  of  the  victories  which  he  has  gained  for  the  truth  by 
his  word  as  delivered  to  us  in  the  sacred  records,  and  the  victo- 
ries which  he  is  yet  to  gain  before  the  reign  of  truth  as  he 
taught  it  becomes  universal. 

His  written  name  which  no  man  knew  (could  read  and  under- 
stand) but  he  himself,  is  significant  of  some  mysterious  truth  in 
his  person,  which  no  man  can  solve  and  understand  but  he 
himself. 

Great  indeed  is  the  mystery  of  our  religion  in  the  doctrine  of 
God  manifest  in  the  flesh. 

Verse  13.  "  And  he  was  clothed  in  a  vesture  dipped  in  blood, 
and  his  name  is  called  the  Word  of  God." 

The  vesture  as  dipped  in  blood,  is  significant  of  the  intel- 
lectual execution  which  he  will  make  among  his  opposers.  The 
name  by  which  he  is  designated  to  us  in  scripture,  or  his  called 
name,  is  God — the  Word — by  whom  all  things  were  made.  He 
was  God  speaking  to  men.  What  he  spake  was  the  speech  or 
word  of  God. 

We  conceive  that  in  these  several  figures  we  have  Christianity 
in  its  teaching  of  truth,  represented  as  true,  searching,  and  su- 
perior to  all  opposition. 

Verse  14.  "  And  the  armies  which  were  in  heaven  followed 
him  upon  white  horses,  clothed  in  fine  linen,  white  and  clean." 

These  armies  are  the  faithful  advocates  of  the  truth  as  it  is  in 
Christ,  and  they,  like  their  leader,  use  only  just  and  fair  means 
in  contending  for  Christian  truth.  In  this  controversy,  they 
contend  for  the  truth  as  Christ  spake  and  taught  it,  and  as  it  is 
delivered  in  holy  scripture. 

Verse  15.  "  And  out  of  his  mouth  goeth  a  sharp  sword,  that 
with  it  he  should  smite  the  nations  :  and  he  shall  rule  them 


J 


189 

with  a  rod  of  iron;  and  he  treadeth  the  wine-press  of  the  fierce- 
ness and  wrath  of  Almighty  God." 

The  sword  proceeding  out  of  the  mouth  of  Christ,  is  his 
speech  or  word  as  recorded  by  the  sacred  writers.  With  this 
word  he  will  smite  the  nations — the  Gentiles — the  idolaters — 
he  will  administer  cutting  reproof  to  those  who  practise  an  idol- 
atrous worship.  The  rod  of  iron  signifies  that  the  rule  or 
influence  of  the  Gospel  will  be  severe  upon  idolaters ;  and  the 
treading  of  the  wine-press  of  the  fierceness  of  Divine  wrath,  re- 
presents the  extreme  severity  of  the  influence  and  action  of 
Christian  truth  upon  the  vicious  and  wicked.  The  Gospel 
faithfully  taught  will  now  be  victorious,  in  putting  an  end  to 
the  power  and  influence  of  idolaters  and  evil  doers. 

16th  verse.  "  And  he  hath  on  his  vesture,  and  on  his  thigh, 
a  name  written  King  of  Kings  and  Lord  of  Lords." 

No  kings  or  governments  have  any  divine  authority  above*the 
power  and  law  of  Christ,  and  the  power  and  law  of  Christ  are 
destined  to  go  on  in  a  career  of  victory  over  the  passions  and 
prejudices  and  corrupt  nature  of  mankind,  until  their  reign 
becomes  universal,  and  all  rulers  and  states  come  under  the 
mild  and  heavenly  influence  of  the  gospel,  and  acknowledge  the 
supremacy  of  its  teaching  and  authority.  Christianity  has 
already  effected  by  its  silent  influence,  a  benign  change  in  laws 
and  governments,  and  moderated  the  ferocity  of  war  and  of  des- 
potic power,  and  it  will  continue  its  ameliorating  influence  until 
the  nations  shall  give  up  the  study  of  war,  and  governments 
cease  to  oppress  and  tyrannize  over  mankind.  According  to  the 
word  or  gospel  of  Christ,  as  delivered  to  us  in  the  sacred  records, 
there  is  but  one  one  man  in  heaven  whom  we  may  honour  and 
invoke  as  our  Mediator  there,  and  that  man  is  Christ  Jesus. 

This  Mediator  being  God  as  well  as  man,  is  omniscient  and 
omnipresent,  and  can  hear  our  prayers  and  invocations,  as  no 
angel  or  canonized  saint  can  hear  them,  and  if  we  insist  that 
they  can  hear  our  invocations,  and  that  Christ  needs  their  medi- 
ation and  intercession  to  urge  on  his  own  mediation  and  inter 

17 


190 

cession,  we  are  doing  him  great  wrong  and  contradicting  his 
word.  In  this  sole  right  of  Christ  to  exclusive  invocation,  as  a 
Mediator  in  heaven,  all  his  followers  and  advocates  in  the  com- 
ing great  controversy,  will  sustain  him  by  all  those  fair  and 
sound  arguments,  with  which  Scripture,  rightly  understood, 
furnish  them.  As  the  important  right  of  Christ  to  exclusive 
invocation  as  a  Mediator  in  heaven,  is  the  subject  of  contention, 
we  can  perceive  how  properly  Christ,  in  his  word  or  teaching,  is 
made  to  occupy  such  a  conspicuous  station,  and  take  such  a  con- 
spicuous part,  in  this  great  controversy. 

Verses  17  and  18.  "And  I  saw  an  angel  standing  in  the 
sun  !  and  he  cried  with  a  loud  voice,  saying  to  all  the  fowls  that 
fly  in  the  midst  of  heaven,  Come  and  gather  yourselves  together 
unto  the  supper  of  the  great  God.  That  ye  may  eat  the  flesh 
of  kings,  and  the  flesh  of  captains,  and  the  flesh  of  mighty 
mea^  and  the  flesh  of  horses,  and  of  them  that  sit  on  them,  and 
the  flesh  of  all  men  both  free  and  bond,  both  small  and  great." 

These  words  intimate,  that  the  different  powers  and  rulers 
from  the  sovereign  down,  will  now  cease  to  favour  or  sustain  an 
idolatrous  Christianity,  by  the  aid  of  their  authority  and  means. 

Verses  19,  20.  "  And  I  saw  the  beast,  and  the  kings  of  the 
earth  and  their  armies  gathered  together,  to  make  war  against 
him  that  sat  upon  the  horse,  and  against  his  army.  And  the 
beast  was  taken,  and  with  him  the  false  prophet  that  wrought 
miracles  before  him,  with  which  he  deceived  them  that  had  re- 
ceived the  mark  of  the  beast,  and  them  that  worshipped  his 
image.  These  both  were  cast  alive  into  a  lake  of  fire  burning 
with  brimstone." 

They  who  compose  the  two  parties,  represented  by  the  beast 
and  the  false  prophet,  will,  in  the  course  of  this  controversy, 
commit  themselves  to  some  false  proposition,  assume  some  unte- 
nable position,  where  they  will  find  themselves  caught  by  the 
word  of  God,  in  their  error  and  wickedness. 

But  though  thus  caught,  they  will  not  be  brought  to  repent- 


iyi 

ance,  but  being  left  to  continue  in  their  error  and  wickedness, 
will  be  delivered  over  to  a  reprobate  state. 

Verse  21.  "  And  the  remnant  were  slain  with  the  sword  of 
him  that  sat  upon  the  horse,  which  sword  proceeded  out  of  his 
mouth  and  the  fowls  were  filled  with  their  flesh." 

The  remnant,  the  kings  of  the  earth  and  their  armies,  the 
different  powers  and  rulers  will  be  slain  in  the  sense  that  they 
will  cease  to  aid  an  idolatrous,  and  oppose  a  pure  Christianity. 
And  the  event  will  be  the  effect  of  the  powerful  handling  of  the 
word  of  God. 

This  controversy  will  issue  in  making  manifest,  that  Rome, 
as  the  pretended  seat  of  infallible  Christian  teaching,  and  the 
Roman  Catholic  church,  who  follow  its  teaching,  have  egre- 
giously  imposed  upon  the  world  in  teaching  the  invocation  of 
angels  and  deceased  Christians,  as  mediators  in  the  court  of 
heaven,  and  that  their  claims  to  infallibility  in  transmitting- and 
teaching  the  truth  of  Christ  on  this  subject,  have  been  without 
any  foundation.  The  present  Pope,  Pius  the  ninth,  has  issued 
an  encyclical  letter  to  all  patriarchs,  primates,  arch-bishops  and 
bishops,  from  which  we  may  perceive  the  teaching  and  practice 
of  Rome  on  this  subject. 

As  a  remedy  for  the  evil  of  the  times,  the  pope  invites  these 
high  dignitaries  to  unite  in  earnest  prayer  to  God,  and  that  they 
may  be  successful  in  their  application  to  him  for  clemency,  he 
prescribes  the  following  mode  of  approaching  him. 

"  And  that  God  may  be  made  more  accessible  and  give  ear 
"  to  our  prayers,  and  hear  our  petitions,  let  us  raise  our  hearts 
"  and  hands  to  his  most  holy  mother,  the  immaculate  Virgin 
°  Mary.  We  could  not  find  protection  more  powerful  or  more 
"  effectual  with  God.  She  is  the  most  tender  of  mothers,  our 
"  firmest  reliance,  and  the  very  spring  of  our  hope,  since  she 
"  asks  nothing  which  she  does  not  obtain,  and  her  prayer  is 
"never  refused." 

"  Let  us  also  implore,  in  the  first  place,  the  intercession  of 
"  the  Prince  of  the  Apostles,  to  whom  Jesus  Christ  has  given 


192 

"  the  keys  of  the  kingdom  of  heaven,  whom  he  has  established 
"  as  the  foundation  stone  of  his  church,  against  which  the  gates 
"  of  hell  will  never  be  able  to  prevail.  Let  us  then  pray  to  the 
"  companion  of  his  apostleship.  Let  us  then  pray  to  the  patron 
"  of  each  city  and  country,  and  to  all  the  blessed  that  our  mer- 
"  ciful  Lord  may  shed  upon  us,  in  abundance  and  munificence, 
"  the  gifts  of  his  bounty. 

To  recapitulate,  it  appears  that  before  the  utter  decline  and 
fall  of  Rome,  the  Russian,  or  some  other  nation,  will  withdraw 
their  influence  and  favour,  from  the  system  of  Roman  polity  ; 
that  this  withdrawal,  will  prepare  the  way  for  the  interposition 
of  some  combined  powers  to  put  an  end  to  Roman  rule  and 
polity,  and  give  liberty  and  protection  to  true  Christianity ; 
that  this  withdrawal  will  also  be  followed  with  a  general,  extra- 
ordinary controversy,  on  the  subject  of  mediator  invocation,  in 
which  the  three  great  bodies  or  parties  of  deceivers  will  take 
ona  side,  while  Christ,  in  his  word  and  teaching,  as  transmitted 
in  Holy  Scripture,  will  take  the  lead  on  the  other  side,  and  in 
the  course  of  the  controversy,  the  deceivers,  represented  by  the 
beast  and  the  false  prophet,  will  be  caught  and  exposed  in  their 
error,  and  after  this  exposure,  delivered  over  to  a  reprobate 
mind  and  state.  With  the  fall  of  Rome  in  its  teaching  charac- 
ter, will  follow  the  ruin  of  its  system  of  polity,  and  a  great  and 
glorious  change  in  Christianity,  as  a  body  corporate  and  politic 
— as  the  city,  the  church  of  Grod.  The  Christian  church  will 
then  become  a  corporation,  of  a  fair  and  upright  reputation  for 
virtue  and  truth,  and  enter  into  a  new  state  of  cordial  confi- 
dence in  the  teaching  and  affectionate  submission  to  the  autho- 
rity of  Christianity.  This  state  is  that  millenium  of  blessed- 
ness, to  which  our  attention  is  called  in  the  next  chapter. 


193 


DISCOURSE  XVI. 
Rev.  xx. 

The  last  time  that  the  apostle  had  in  vision  seen  the  dragon, 
was  on  the  eve  of  the  great  battle  with  the  word  of  God. 

The  dragon,  by  his  emissaries,  had  assisted  in  gathering  to- 
gether to  this  battle,  the  kings  of  the  earth  and  of  the  whole 
world. 

In  this  battle,  the  beast  and  the  false  prophet  were  captured, 
and  after  their  capture  they  were  cast  into  a  lake  of  fire  and 
brimstone,  but  we  are  not  informed  what  became  of  the  dragon 
after  the  battle,  until  the  beginning  of  this  twentieth  chapter. 

Chap.  xx.  1-3.  "  And  I  saw  an  angel  come  down  from 
heaven,  having  the  key  of  the  bottomless  pit  (the  abyss  or 
deep)  and  a  great  chain  in  his  hand.  And  he  laid  hold  on  the 
dragon,  that  old  serpent  which  is  the  devil  and  Satan,  and  bound 
him  a  thousand  years  and  cast  him  into  the  bottomless  pit 
(abyss  or  deep)  and  shut  him  up  and  set  a  seal  upon  him  that 
he  should  deceive  the  nations  no  more  till  the  thousand  years 
should  be  fulfilled,  and  after  that  he  must  be  loosed  a  little 
season." 

The  dragon  represents  as  a  body  or  combination  or  society, 
those  men  who  deceive  mankind  by  calumniating  and  contra- 
dicting Christianity,  by  speaking  falsely  of  it,  and  denying  the 
truth  of  its  assertions  and  revelations. 

The  serpent  in  Eden  in  this  manner,  deceived  our  first  mother 
Eve.  Hence,  the  dragon  or  this  body  of  unbelievers  is  termed 
that  old  serpent,  the  devil  (the  calumniator  or  liar)  and  Satan, 
(the  contradictor  or  opposer  of  truth)  who  deceives  the  nations, 
,vho  deceives  the  whole  world.     The  abyss  or  deep  cavity  here 

17* 


194 

represents  the  obscure,  degraded,  barbarous  portion  of  mankind 
who  have  to  be  kept  under  rigorous  restraint. 

The  capture  of  the  dragon,  the  binding  him  with  a  great 
chain,  the  casting  him  into  some  deep  cavity  under  the  earth, 
the  closing  up  the  entrance  and  sealing  a  seal  upon  the  closed 
entrance,  are  significant  of  the  low,  degraded  condition  in  which 
the  calumniators  and  opposers  of  Christianity  who  deceive  men 
into  infidelity  and  false  religion,  will  now,  as  a  body,  be  found 
to  exist.  These  deceivers  will  now  be  confined  in  their  power 
and  influence,  to  the  lowest  of  mankind,  without  the  possibility 
of  escaping  into  consideration.  They  will  now  have  no  power 
to  entice  the  orderly  portion  of  mankind  into  the  disregard  of 
divinely  revealed  truth  and  duty,  by  slandering  and  contradict- 
ing Christianity. 

Verses  4-6.  "  And  I  saw  thrones,  and  they  sat  upon  them, 
and  judgment  was  given  unto  them ;  and  I  saw  the  souls  (per- 
sons) of  them  that  were  beheaded  for  the  witness  of  Jesus  and 
for  the  word  of  God,  and  which  had  not  worshipped  the  benst, 
neither  his  image,  neither  had  received  his  mark  upon  their 
foreheads  or  in  their  hands ;  and  they  lived  and  reigned  with 
Christ  a  thousand  years.  But  the  rest  of  the  dead  lived  not 
again  until  the  thousand  years  were  finished.  This  is  the  first 
resurrection.  Blessed  and  holy  is  he  who  hath  part  in  the  first 
resurrection,  on  such  the  second  death  hath  no  power,  but  they 
shall  be  priests  of  God  and  of  Christ,  and  shall  reign  with  him 
a  thousand  years." 

We  have  before,  been  informed  of  a  glorious  period  awaiting 
Christianity,  as  a  church  or  body  corporate  and  politic,  but  here 
we  are  informed  of  its  millenial  glorious  condition,  as  a  faith,  a 
doctrine,  a  matter  of  testimony  and  belief. 

The  apostle  sees  alive  again  the  Christian  martyrs,  who  sealed 
their  faith  and  testimony  with  their  blood.  He  sees  also,  alive, 
those  Protestant  Christians,  who,  with  all  the  world  against 
them,  would  not  submit  to  Roman  Catholic  authority,  or  its 
image  or  representative  the  pope,  nor  pledge  their  minds  or 


195 

energies  to  the  service  and  interests  of  the  Roman  Catholic 
church.  All  those  protestants  who  have  adhered  to  a  pure 
gospel  under  Roman  Catholic  power  and  dominion,  as  well  as 
all  who  have  lost  their  lives  for  the  sake  of  true  religion,  will 
live  again  in  the  same  sense  in  which  Elijah  lived  again  in  the 
person  of  John  the  Baptist ;  they  will  be  raised  from  the  dead 
in  a  similar  sense  to  that  in  which  the  Jews  were  raised  from 
the  dead,  when,  after  the  expiration  of  their  period  of  captivity 
in  Babylon,  they  were  restored  as  a  nation,  to  political  and  re- 
ligious life. 

That  remnant  of  Christians — whether  teachers  or  disciples, 
whose  faith  in  the  testimony  and  teaching  of  Christ  was  so 
strong  and  firm  as  to  rise  superior  to  the  love  of  property  and 
of  life  and  to  the  influence  of  the  prevailing  corruptions  of  Chris- 
tianity, will  now  in  their  teaching  and  in  their  faith  rise  up  in 
the  persons  of  others,  and  in  connection  with  Christianity  rule 
the  world  by  their  moral  and  religious  influence.  In  this  sense 
they  will  sit  on  thrones,  living  and  reigning  With  Christ,  a 
thousand  years.  "  The  comfortable  gospel  of  Christ  will  now 
be  truly  preached — truly  received  and  truly  followed  in  all 
places,  to  the  breaking  down  the  kingdom  of  sin,  Satan  and 
death.  Christianity  truly  taught  and  believed,  will  now  have 
its  day — its  flourishing  period  of  power  and  dominion  here  on 
earth.  This  will  be  the  first  resurrection  of  Christianity  as 
thus  taught  and  believed.  This  will  be  the  first  standing  up  of 
such  a  Christianity  in  universal  honor  and  dominion :  it  will  be 
a  revival  under  the  Christian  dispensation,  far  exceeding  that 
which  Ezekiel  foretold  under  the  old,  and  which  Habakkuk 
desired  when  he  prayed,  0  Lord  revive  thy  work ;  in  the  midst 
of  the  years  make  known — in  wrath  remember  mercy.  This 
will  indeed  be  a  glorious  standing  up  of  Christian  truth  and  a 
Christian  faith,  after  the  long  period  of  their  affliction  and 
degradation.  And  blessed  will  that  individual  be  who  has  a 
part  in  this  first  resurrection  or  standing  up  in  the  world — of 
our  holy  religion.     On  such  the  second  death  hath  no  power. 


196 

The  ancient  Jews  understood  by  the  second  death — the  penal 
state  that  follows  the  present  life. 

In  the  day  that  man  first  transgressed,  he  passed  the  same 
state  of  favour  into  a  state  of  condemnation,  and  in  this  sense 
from  a  state  of  life  into  a  state  of  death.  This  was  his  first 
death  or  state  of  condemnation.  From  this  death  or  state  of 
condemnation  he  was  recovered  into  a  new  state  of  trial  by  the 
purposed  incarnation,  obedience  and  death  of  God,  the  Word. 
If  in  this  recovered  state  of  trial  he  lives  and  dies  in  sin  and 
impenitence,  he  dies  a  second  time,  in  the  sense  of  passing  into 
a  second  state  of  condemnation.  In  this  second  state  of  con- 
demnation there  is  no  more  sacrifice  for  sin — no  recovery  to 
another  state  of  trial,  no  release  from  punishment.  This  second 
death  or  state  of  condemnation  has,  however,  no  power  over  the 
true  believer  and  follower  of  Christ.  If  a  man  keep  my  paying, 
says  our  Lord,  he  shall  never  see  death — never  pass  into  a  state 
of  condemnation.  He  that  heareth  my  word  and  believeth  on 
Him  that  sent  me,  hath  everlasting  life,  and  shall  not  come  into 
condemnation,  but  is  passed  from  death  unto  life.  There  is  no 
condemnation  to  them  that  are  in  Christ  Jesus.  According  to 
Daniel,  seventy-five  years  beyond  the  1260  will  begin  this  period 
of  blessedness.  Blessed  is  he  that  waiteth  and  cometh  to  the 
thousand  three  hundred  and  thirty-five  days.  It  will  be  blessed 
to  live  and  see  this  resurrection  (of  standing  up)  of  Christian 
truth  and  Christian  faith — but  truly  blessed  will  he  be  who 
participates  in  this  glorious  event,  and  becomes  a  true  believer. 
He  will  be  blessed  in  being  holy  and  in  being  exempted  from 
the  second  death — or  eternal  condemation. 

The  rest  of  the  dead,  or  the  other  dead  of  whom  it  is  declared 
that  they  lived  not  again  until  the  thousand  years  were  fulfilled, 
are  those  who  were  slain  by  the  sword  proceeding  out  of  the 
mouth  of  Christ,  as  we  learn  in  the  last  verse  of  the  preceding 
chapter. 

These  dead  had  been  the  deceived  opposers  of  Christ  in  his 
word  or  testimony,  especially  on  the  subject  of  his  exclusive 


197 

mediatorship,  and  they  are  intellectually  slain  by  that  word  or 
testimony,  and  are  deprived  of  the  will  and  power  to  continue 
their  opposition  to  it. 

These  are  not  of  the  reprobate  mind,  peculiar  to  the  different 
deceivers  who  constitute  the  three  parties  represented  by  the 
dragon,  the  beast,  and  the  false  prophet.  These  latter  are  to 
pass  into  a  reprobate  state — while  the  former,  the  deceived,  will 
be  convinced  of  their  error  by  the  Word  of  God,  and  that  word 
will  have  no  such  deceived  opposers  until  after  the  millenium. 

We  may  suppose  that  the  manifest  and  wonderful  fulfilment 
of  these  predictions  of  John,  as  well  as  those  of  Daniel  and  Paul, 
and  of  other  inspired  writers,  will  be  such  a  demonstration  in 
favour  of  the  word  or  testimony  of  Christ  in  its  true  sense  or 
teaching,  as  to  put  to  the  silence  of  death  all  the  opponents  of  the 
truth  as  Christ  taught  it,  and  as  it  has  been  delivered  to  us  in 
holy  writ,  and  to  render  all  opposition  of  this  nature  inactive 
during  the  period  specified.  And  we  may  suppose  too,  that  the 
manifest  and  wonderful  fulfilment  of  these  predictions  will  have 
its  influence  and  effect  in  the  raising  of  faithful  teachers  of  the 
gospel  and  true  believers  in  it,  to  great  power  and  prevalence  in 
the  world,  and  in  continuing  Christianity  (thus  taught  and 
believed)  in  its  great  power  and  prevalence  during  the  long 
period  of  a  thousand  years.  There  is,  however,  to  be  at  the  end 
of  the  millenium  an  outbreak  of  opposition  to  Christianity  on 
the  part,  not  of  Roman  and  Roman  Catholic  deceivers,  but  of 
infidel  deceivers. 

Verses  7-11.  "  And  when  the  thousand  years  are  expired, 
Satan  shall  be  loosed  out  of  his  prison.  And  shall  go  out  to 
deceive  the  nations  which  are  in  the  four  quarters  of  the  earth, 
Gog  and  Magog,  to  gather  them  together  to  battle,  the  number 
of  whom  is  as  the  sand  of  the  sea. 

"  And  they  went  up  on  the  breadth  of  the  earth,  and  compassed 
the  camp  of  the  saints  about  and  the  beloved  city  ;  and  fire  came 
down  from  God  out  of  heaven  and  devoured  them.  And  the 
devil  that  deceived  them  was  cast  into  the  lake  of  fire  and  brim  ■ 


198 

stone,  where  the  beast  and  the  false  prophets  are,  and  shall  be 
tormented  day  and  night  for  ever  and  ever." 

At  the  end  of  the  milleniura,  the  infidel  deceivers  will  escape 
from  their  state  of  degradation  and  restraint,  and.  again  appear 
in  combined  active  opposition  to  Christianity  and  renew  the 
work  of  deceiving  the  world  into  a  disregard  and  rejection  of  the 
Christian  revelation.  The  nations  from  the  four  quarters  of 
the  earth  called  Gog  and  Magog  represent  the  ignorant,  fierce 
portion  of  mankind,  whom  the  ancient  Greeks  and  Romans  with 
respect  to  their  disposition  and  manners,  would  have  termed 
Scythians,  and  we  moderns  would  term  Cossacks  or  Tartars. 

They  are  represented  as  very  numerous,  and  covering  in  their 
march  or  going,  the  whole  flat  or  surface  of  the  holy  land,  and 
surrounding  on  all  sides  the  camp  of  the  saints  and  the  city  of 
Jerusalem.  The  meaning  seems  to  be,  that  infidel  deceivers 
will  now  combine  together  and  put  into  operation  all  their  arts 
of  deception,  and  draw  the  ignorant  and  fierce  elements  of  so- 
ciety into  a  war  (a  contest  of  opinion)  for  the  purpose  of  destroy- 
ing the  rule  and  polity  of  the  Christian  Church.  All,  however, 
who  are  thus  deceived  into  opposition  to  Christianity,  are 
destined  to  be  consumed  by  fire  from  God  out  of  heaven. 

This  fire  may  signify  the  miraculous  knowledge  contained  in 
the  prediction  of  Scripture.  The  predictions  of  evil  which 
Jeremiah  had  uttered  against  Judah  and  Israel,  and  which  they 
refused  to  believe,  are  compared  to  fire,  which  would  certainly 
consume  them.  Behold,  I  will  make  my  words  in  thy  mouth 
fire,  and  the  people  wood,  and  it  shall  devour  them.  The  in- 
terposition of  fire  from  God  out  of  heaven,  represents  the  inter- 
position of  knowledge  of  an  inspired  source  and  nature.  Know- 
ledge so  overpowering  in  its  influence,  as  to  convince  the  deceived 
of  their  error,  and  consume  in  them  the  spirit  of  opposition  to 
Christianity. 

But  if  the  deceived  are  intellectually  killed  in  this  great  con- 
test, the  more  guilty  class — the  deceivers — are  delivered  over 
to  the  same  reprobate  mind  and  state  to  which  those  deceivers 


199 

had  been  consigned,  who  professing  Christianity  had  calumi- 
nated  and  opposed  it.  In  this  penal  state  it  reads,  that  they 
shall  be  tormented  day  and  night  for  ever  and  ever.  The  word 
translated  torments,  signifies  torture  inflicted  upon  persons  who 
are  unwilling  to  confess  their  guilt  or  to  disclose  their  know- 
ledge of  the  truth.  This  word  here  seems  to  signify  the  mental 
torture  of  a  person  in  witnessing  irresistible  demonstration  in 
favour  of  some  truth  winch  he  bitterly  hates  and  opposes,  and 
which  he  will  not  confess  but  perseveres  in  denying.  It  is  a 
fearful  thing  to  aid  in  deceiving  men  by  corrupting  or  calumni- 
ating or  denying  the  gospel  of  Christ. 

The  apostle  repeats,  "  Though  we  or  an  angel  from  heaven 
preach  another  gospel,  let  him  be  accursed."  "  And  if  we  sin 
wilfully  after  that,  we  have  received  the  knowledge  of  the  truth, 
there  remaineth  no  more  sacrifice  for  sins  but  a  certain,  fearful 
looking  for  of  judgment  and  fiery  indignation,  which  shall 
devour  the  adversaries." 

After  the  infidel  body,  who  deceived  men  into  disregard  and 
opposition  to  the  Christian  revelation,  is  delivered  over  to  the 
torture  of  a  reprobate  mind  and  state,  these  will  follow  the 
general  resurrection  and  judgment  and  the  end  of  the  present 
state  and  order  of  the  world.  How  soon  these  latter  events 
will  occur  after  the  final  overthrow  of  infidelity  we  are  not  in- 
formed. 

The  11th  verse.  "  I  saw  a  great  white  throne,  and  him  that 
sat  on  it  from  whose  face  the  heaven  and  the  earth  fled  away, 
and  there  was  found  no  place  for  them." 

The  throne  and  its  occupant  represent  the  Eternal  Judge 
entering  upon  the  public  administration  of  justice,  and  the 
white  colour  of  the  throne  is  emblematic  of  equity  and  impar- 
tiality.    His  work  is  perfect — all  his  ways  are  judgment. 

The  fleeing  away  of  the  heaven  and  earth  from  the  face  of 
this  great  Judge,  so  that  their  place  could  not  be  found,  signifies, 
that  when  God  shall  appear  for  the  general  judgment,  the  pre- 
sent state  and  order  of  things  will  begin  to  be  abolished.     The 


200 

crust  of  the  earth  and  the  aerial  heavens — the  atmosphere — 
constitute  a  part  of  the  present  state  and  order  of  things  which 
are  to  pass  away.  The  heavens  shall  pass  away  with  a  great 
noise,  and  the  elements  shall  melt  with  fervent  heat — the  earth 
also,  and  the  works  that  are  therein  shall  be  burned  up.  The 
reign  of  sin  and  death  and  pain  is  also  a  part  of  the  present 
state  and  order  of  things  which  will  then  be  brought  to  an  end. 

Verses  12  and  13.  "  And  I  saw  the  dead,  small  and  great, 
stand  before  God ;  and  the  books  were  opened ;  and  another 
book  was  opened,  which  is  the  book  of  life,  and  the  dead  were 
judged  out  of  those  things  which  are  written  in  the  books, 
according  to  the  works.  And  the  sea  gave  up  the  dead  which 
were  in  it;  and  death  and  hell  delivered  up  the  dead  which 
were  in  them ;  and  they  were  judged,  every  man  according  to 
their  works." 

While  the  earth  is  fleeing  away  from  the  face  of  the  Judge, 
it  is  also  delivering  up  its  dead  to  the  judgment.  The  sea, 
and  death,  and  hell,  (the  grave,  or  separate  state,)  deliver  up 
their  respective  contents,  to  signify  a  universal  resurrection  of 
the  dead.  We  are  not,  however,  to  infer  from  this  representa- 
tion of  a  resurrection,  that  the  risen  body  is  to  be  a  body  of 
flesh  and  blood — for  flesh  and  blood,  we  are  assured  by^St.  Paul, 
cannot  inherit  the  Kingdom  of  God.  The  risen  body  will  be 
composed  of  different  materials,  and  be  fitted  for  a  different 
mode  and  state  of  being.  For  this  reason,  those  found  alive,  at 
the  coming  of  Christ  to  raise  the  dead,  will  be  changed  in  their 
bodies.  The  resurrection  of  the  dead — the  putting  an  end  to 
the  reign  of  death,  and  the  melting  of  the  crust  of  the  earth, 
will  consummate  the  old  state  and  order  of  things.  When  the 
general  resurrection  is  accomplished,  and  death  is  abolished,  and 
the  crust  of  the  earth  is  melted,  and  all  upon  its  surface  con- 
sumed in  the  melted  mass,  and  the  very  air  has  exploded,  and 
is  dissolved,  and  the  final  judgment  is  past,  then  will  the  old 
state  and  order  of  things  on  our  earth  have  past  away,  so  that 
it  will  be  no  more  possible  to  find  vestiges  of  their  former 


201 

existence,  than  to  find  the  places  of  the  heaven  and  the  earth, 
supposing  they  had  fled  out  of  universal  space. 

The  period  of  the  general  judgment,  is  the  final  period  of  the 
old  state  and  order  of  things.  Because  this  period  is  called  the 
day  of  judgment,  we  are  no  more  to  understand  it  to  he  a  period 
of  twenty- four  hours,  than  we  are  to  understand  in  this  limited 
sense,  the  day  of  adversity,  or  the  day  of  prosperity. 

It  would  seem,  that  the  place  where  the  general  judgment  is 
conducted,  is  beyond  our  earth,  but  where  beyond  our  earth,  we 
know  not.  Our  Saviour,  at  his  ascension,  disappeared  beyond 
the  clouds,  but  where  heaven,  or  the  place  is,  in  which  he  now 
exists,  in  his  glorified  humanity,  we  know  not. 

So  much,  however,  is  definite  and  certain,  concerning  the 
general  judgment,  that  on  that  occasion,  God,  in  the  person  of 
Christ,  will  make  himself  manifest  in  a  material  form,  and  that 
the  award  which  every  one  receives,  will  be  based  upon  a  per- 
fect infallible  knowledge  of  his  thoughts,  words,  and  actions, 
during  his  existence  in  a  former  body.  The  dead  are  said  to 
be  judged  out  of  the  things  written  in  certain  books — the  books 
of  God's  remembrance  or  omniscience,  and  another  book  called 
the  book  of  life. 

One  great  purpose  of  books,  is  to  perpetuate  the  memory  of 
things  past — to  transmit  the  knowledge  of  them  to  future 
generations.  Now  go,  (says  God  to  the  prophet,)  write  it 
before  them  in  a  table,  and  note  it  in  a  book,  that  it  may  be 
for  the  time  to  come,  even  for  ever  and  ever. 

These  books  record  the  names,  the  thoughts,  motives,  feelings, 
words,  and  deeds,  of  all  who  have  lived  and  died.  Every  day 
we  are  adding  to  the  contents  of  these  books,  and  the  record  is 
as  imperishable  as  the  omniscience  as  God.  These  books  are 
merely  ideal.  The  omniscient  has  no  need  of  books,  in  order 
to  perpetuate  the  memory  of  things  past.  The  past,  the  pre- 
sent, and  future,  are  all  alike  before  him.  When  he  conies  to 
judgment,  he  will  bring  to  light  the  hidden  things  of  darkness, 
and  make  manifest  the  counsels  of  the  heart.     Besides  these 

18 


202 

books  of  God's  remembrance,  there  is  another  particular  book 
of  his  favourable  remembrance,  called  the  book  of  life.  It  was 
a  custom  in  ancient  times,  to  enrol  in  a  public  register,  the 
names  and  deeds  of  those  on  whom  the  government  or  state 
purposed  to  confer  favour  and  reward.  The  book  of  life,  con- 
tains the  names  and  works  of  those  upon  which  the  Great 
Judge  purposes  to  confer  honor  and  happiness.  It  is  called  the 
Lamb's  Book  of  Life,  because  it  is  in  virtue  of  the  obedience 
and  death  of  Christ,  the  Lamb  of  God,  who  was  slain  a  sacrifice 
for  our  sins,  that  any  names  of  men  are  registered  therein,  as 
persons  to  be  favoured  and  rewarded.  A  book  of  remembrance 
is  written  for  them  that  fear  the  Lord,  and  that  think  upon  his 
name,  and  they  shall  be  mine,  saith  the  Lord  of  hosts,  in  the 
day  when  I  shall  make  up  my  jewels.  If  we  possess  a  true 
Christian  faith,  and  bring  forth  its  appropriate  points  of  right- 
eousness of  life,  our  names  and  works  are  found  in  the  book  of 
life,  and  we  need  not  fear  the  contents  of  the  other  books. 

It  is  further  declared,  that  the  dead  will  be  judged  according 
to  their  works.  Those  written  in  the  book  of  life,  as  well  as 
the  other  dead,  will  be  judged  by  this  rule.  They  whose  faith 
in  Christ  has  wrought  in  them  the  strongest  attachment  to  him 
and  his  cause,  and  enabled  them  to  labour  for  him  and  his 
cause  with  the  greatest  diligence  and  energy — they  who  have 
made  the  greatest  proficiency  in  Christian  knowledge  and  prac- 
tice, who  have  come  nearest  to  the  mind,  and  character,  and 
example  of  Christ,  will  be  judged  the  highest  rewards  and  dis- 
tinctions in  the  kingdom  of  heaven. 

Our  Lord,  did  indeed,  forbid  his  apostles  to  be  eager  and 
contentious,  about  precedence  and  honour.  Yet  he  assured 
them,  that  they  would,  in  his  future  kingdom,  be  rewarded  and 
honoured  in  a  distinguished  manner. 

The  rewards  bestowed,  though  according  to  their  works,  will 
not  be  rewards  of  debt,  but  of  bounty — the  reward  will  be  of 
grace,  not  of  debt.  The  original  Greek  word  translated  grace, 
is  the  word  from  which  our  English  word  charity  is  derived. 


203 

The  reward  will  be  of  charity,  in  the  sense  of  alms,  and  the 
Judge  will  confer  his  rewards,  his  gifts,  his  charity,  his  alms, 
according  to  the  various  degrees  of  our  attainments  in  Christian 
knowledge  and  practice. 

So  also  the  impenitent  and  unjust  will  be  rendered  different 
degrees  of  punishments,  according  as  they  have  been  more  or 
less  wicked,  and  done  more  or  less  mischief  in  the  world. 

Both  punishment  and  reward,  justice  and  mercy,  retribution 
and  charity,  will  be  administered  (impartially,)  without  respect 
to  person. 

The  supreme  court  of  heaven,  having  finished  its  business, 
closes  its  session,  and  then  follows  the  execution  of  its  decisions. 

Verse  14.  "  And  death  and  hell  were  cast  into  the  lake  of 
fire.     This  is  the  second  death." 

In  the  preceding  verse,  death  and  hell  are  spoken  of  as  places, 
in  this  verse  they  are  spoken  of  as  persons. 

In  this  verse  also,  existence  in  the  lake  of  fire  is  explained 
to  be  a  representation  of  the  second  death — that  death — that 
penal  suffering  from  which  there  is  no  recovery  or  release.  The 
casting  of  the  persons  of  death  and  hell  into  the  lake  of  fire, 
must  signify  the  translation  of  present  death  into  the  bitter  pains 
of  eternal  death.  And  we  are  assured,  that  into  these  bitter 
pains,  a  certain  portion  of  the  dead  are  to  be  delivered,  after  their 
resurrection  and  judgment.  For  it  is  asserted  in  the  next  verse, 
(15th.)  And  whosoever  (if  any  one,)  was  not  found  written 
in  the  book  of  life,  (he)  was  cast  into  the  lake  of  fire.  Fear 
not  them  which  kill  the  body,  but  are  not  able  to  kill  the  soul, 
but  rather  fear  him  which  is  able  to  destroy  both  soul  and  body 
in  hell.  This  is  that  hell,  where  the  worm  dieth  not,  and  the 
fire  is  not  quenched.  This  is  that  everlasting  punishment  pre- 
pared for  the  devil  and  his  angels,  and  for  all  whose  names  are 
not  found  written  in  the  book  of  life. 


204 

DISCOURSE    XVII. 
Kev.  xxi.  and  xxii. 

Verse  1.  "  And  I  saw  a  new  heaven,  and  a  new  earth,  for 
the  first  heaven  and  first  earth  had  passed  away,  and  there  was 
no  more  sea." 

The  first  heaven  and  the  first  earth  had  fled  away  from  him 
that  sat  upon  the  throne,  and  were  no  more  to  he  found ;  and 
now  the  Apostle  sees  a  new  heaven  and  a  new  earth.  The  old 
state  and  order  of  things  are  succeeded  by  a  new  state  and  order 
of  things,  in  which  there  is  no  sea,  no  population  disposed  to 
tumult,  and  difficult  to  keep  quiet.  We  look  for  a  new  earth, 
wherein  dwelleth  righteousness,  (law  and  order.) 

Verse  2.  "  And  I,  John,  saw  the  holy  city,  new  Jerusalem 
coming  down  from  God  out  of  heaven ;  prepared  as  a  bride 
adorned  for  her  husband.  The  holy  city  of  Jerusalem,  coming 
down  from  God  out  of  heaven,  represents  the  religious  or  theo- 
cratical  polity  which,  emanating  from  God  himself,  is  to  exist  in 
the  new  state  and  order  of  things.  This  polity  will  be  fur- 
nished with  all  the  proper  appendages  to  render  it  pleasing  and 
acceptable  to  Christ — just  as  the  bride  is  adorned  with  becoming 
clothing  and  ornaments  to  render  herself  pleasing  and  accepta- 
ble in  the  sight  of  her  husband. 

Verse  3.  "  And  I  heard  a  great  voice  out  of  heaven,  saying, 
Behold  the  tabernacle  of  God  is  with  men,  and  he  will  dwell 
with  them,  and  they  shall  be  his  people,  and  God  himself  shall 
be  with  them,  and  be  their  God." 

When  God,  the  Word,  was  made  flesh,  he  dwelt  (or  taberna- 
cled) among  men,  and  made  himself  manifest,  and  we  beheld  his 
glory  or  manifestation,  and  experienced  his  power  to  relieve 
suffering  and  disease.  And  in  this  new  state  and  order  of 
things,  God  will  tabernacle  in  some  sensible  form  among  his 


205 

people,  and  converse  with    them,  and   remove  by  his  divine 
power,  all  sorrow  and  evil  from  among  them. 

Verse  4.  "  And  God  shall  wipe  all  tears  from  their  eyes ; 
and  there  shall  be  no  more  death,  neither  sorrow  nor  crying, 
neither  shall  there  be  any  more  pain,  for  the  former  things  are 
passed  away." 

The  inhabitants  of  this  new  world  will  be  forever  released 
from  all  the  miseries  incident  to  the  old  world.  There  will  be 
no  separation  of  the  soul  from  the  body,  and  no  pain  of  any 
kind  or  degree.  Here,  all  these  old  things  will  have  no  exist- 
ence. 

Verse  5.  "  And  he  that  sat  upon  the  throne,  said,  Behold,  I 
make  all  things  new.  And  he  said  unto  me,  write,  for  these 
words  are  true  and  faithful." 

The  Great  Judge  here  declares,  that  the  renovation  or  change 
to  be  introduced  by  him,  will  be  universal,  and  he  commands 
the  Apostle  to  commit  this  declaration  to  writing,  as  being 
faithful  and  true,  and  to  be  depended  on. 

Verse  6.  "  And  he  said  unto  me,  it  is  done,  I  am  Alpha  and 
Omega,  the  beginning  and  the  end.  I  will  give  unto  him  that 
is  athirst,  of  the  fountain  of  the  water  of  life  freely." 

The  work  of  renovation  is  effected,  old  things  have  passed 
away,  and  all  things  have  become  new.  I  am  the  author  and 
finisher  of  all  things,  new  and  old — the  beginning  and  the  end 
of  them  are  my  work.  And  I  will  gratuitously  bestow  the 
happiness  of  the  new  state  and  order  of  things  upon  all  who 
thirst  for  it.  Let  all  who  earnestly  desire  this  happiness,  be 
assured  of  my  willingness  to  bestow  it,  without  money  and 
without  price,  and  let  him  be  assured  too,  (verse  7,)  that  "  he 
that  overcometh,  shall  inherit  all  (these  new)  things,  and  I  will 
be  his  God,  and  he  shall  be  my  son.  I  will  be  his  portion  and 
happiness — and  he  shall  be  to  me  an  object  of  favour  and 
affection." 

But  if  the  awful  Being  who  sat  upon  the  throne  spake  thus 
18* 


206 

graciously  of  those  who  thirst  for  the  fountain  of  living  waters, 
and  who  overcome  the  temptations  and  difficulties  that  obstruct 
their  way  to  truth  and  immortality,  far  different  is  his  language 
to  the  vicious  and  profligate. 

Verse  8.  "  But  the  fearful  and  unbelieving,  and  the  abomina- 
ble, and  murderers,  and  whore-mongers,  and  sorcerers,  and 
idolaters,  and  all  liars,  shall  have  their  part  in  the  lake  of  fire 
and  brimstone,  which  is  the  second  death." 

These  are  the  characters  represented  by  the  beast,  the  false 
prophet  and  the  dragon.  They  are  destined  to  endure  the  second 
death — they  shall  go  away  into  everlasting  punishment. 

That  the  apostle  might  have  a  more  distinct  view  of  the  new 
Jerusalem,  one  of  the  seven  angels  takes  him  in  vision  to  a  very 
high  mountain. 

Verses  9 — 21.  "  And  there  came  unto  me  one  of  the  seven 
angels  which  had  the  seven  vials  full  of  the  seven  last  plagues, 
and  talked  with  me,  saying,  Come  hither,  I  will  show  thee  the 
bride,  the  Lamb's  wife.  And  he  carried  me  away  in  the  spirit 
to  a  great  and  high  mountain,  and  showed  me  that  great  city, 
the  holy  Jerusalem,  descending  out  of  heaven  from  God,  having 
the  glory  of  God,  and  her  light  was  like  unto  a  stone  most  pre- 
cious, even  like  a  jasper  stone,  clear  as  crystal.  And  had  a  wall 
great  and  high,  and  had  twelve  gates,  and  at  the  gates  twelve 
angels,  and  names  written  thereon,  which  are  the  names  of  the 
twelve  tribes  of  the  children  of  Israel. 

"On  the  east  three  gates,  on  the  north  three  gates,  on  the  south 
three  gates,  and  on  the  west  three  gates.  And  that  the  wall  of 
the  city  had  twelve  foundations,  and  in  them  the  names  of  the 
twelve  apostles  of  the  Lamb.  And  he  that  talked  with  me  had 
a  golden  reed  to  measure  the  city  and  the  gates  thereof,  and  the 
walls  thereof.  And  the  city  lieth  four  square,  and  the  length 
is  as  large  as  the  breadth;  and  he  measured  the  city  with  the 
reed  twelve  thousand  furlongs.  The  length,  and  the  breadth, 
and  the  height  of  it  are  equal,  (in  proportion.) 


207 

"  And  he  measured  the  wall  thereof,  a  hundred  and  forty  and 
four  cubits,  according  to  the  measure  of  a  man,  that  is  of  the 
angel. 

"  And  the  building  of  the  wall  of  it  was  of  jasper ;  and  the 
city  was  pure  gold,  like  unto  clear  glass.  And  the  foundations 
of  tbe  wall  of  the  city  were  garnished  with  all  manner  of  pre- 
cious stones.  The  first  foundation  was  jasper ;  the  second,  sap- 
phire ;  the  third,  a  chalcedony ;  the  fourth,  an  emerald;  the  fifth, 
sardonyx;  the  sixth,  sardius;  the  seventh,  chrysolite ;  the  eighth, 
beryl ;  the  ninth,  a  topaz ;  the  tenth,  a  chrysophrasus ;  the 
eleventh  a  jacinth;  the  twelfth,  an  amethyst.  And  the  twelve 
gates  were  twelve  pearls ;  every  several  gate  was  of  one  pearl ; 
and  the  street  of  the  city  was  pure  gold,  as  it  were  transparent 


The  glory,  or  shining  of  God,  has  its  abode  in  the  city ;  and 
the  light  emitted  by  this  shining  forth — unlike  the  disagreeable 
dimness  occasioned  by  the  smoke  which  filled  the  Temple  of 
Solomon  at  its  dedication — will  be  of  a  sea-green  hue,  the  colour 
most  pleasing  to  the  eye.  In  our  risen  and  glorified  nature,  we 
shall  behold  with  the  most  pleasing  sensation,  that  glorious  light 
in  which  God  dwells,  and  upon  which  we  cannot,  in  our  present 
bodies  and  senses,  look  and  live. 

A  glimpse  of  the  light  attending  the  glorified  humanity  of 
God,  the  word  instantaneously  struck  the  apostle  Paul  with  a 
blindness  which  it  required  a  miracle  to  cure.  The  meaning  is, 
that  one  appendage  of  this  new  polity  will  be  some  pleasing, 
supernatural  appearance,  indicating  the  presence  of  God. 

The  wall  of  the  city — the  twelve  foundations  of  the  wall 
having  in  them  the  names  of  the  twelve  apostles — the  twelve 
gates,  watched  by  twelve  angels,  and  having  the  names  of  the 
twelve  tribes  of  Israel  written  on  them ;  the  four-square  form  of 
the  city ;  the  measure  of  the  city  in  length  and  breath ;  the  pro- 
portion of  the  height  to  the  length  and  breadth ;  the  measure  of 
the  height  of  the  wall;  the  jasper  or  transparent  green-coloured 
substance  which  composed  the  wall;  the  pure  gold-like  clear 


208 

glass  of  which  the  houses  and  streets  consisted;  the  twelve 
different  kinds  of  precious  stones  with  which  the  foundations  of 
the  wall  were  garnished,  all  these  parts  and  properties  of  the 
city  have  their  signification  in  certain  corresponding  parts  and 
properties  of  that  theocratical  and  celestial  polity  in  the  glory 
and  happiness  of  which  the  people  of  God  will  participate  after 
the  general  judgment. 

These  significations  will  suggest  themselves  to  those  versed 
in  architecture,  mineralogy,  and  the  constitutions,  laws,  and 
properties  of  polities  and  governments. 

Verse  22.  "  And  I  saw  no  temple  therein,  for  the  Lord  God 
Almighty  and  the  Lamb  are  the  temple  of  it. " 

God,  in  his  visible  presence  or  glory,  will  not  be  concealed 
within  a  building  or  house,  but  will  be  manifest  to  all.  Then 
we  shall  have  access  to  the  power  and  glory  of  God  and  the 
Lamb,  without  the  intervention  of  a  temple  with  its  priests  and 
sacrifices. 

Verse  23.  "  And  the  city  had  no  need  of  the  sun,  neither  of 
the  moon  to  shine  in  it ;  for  the  glory  of  God  did  lighten  it,  and 
the  Lamb  is  the  light  thereof." 

God,  manifest  in  a  particular  form  and  voice,  will  serve  the 
purpose  of  supreme  authority  and  government  in  this  sacred 
polity.  God  will  be  present  in  some  sensible  form  to  instruct 
and  to  govern. 

Verses  24 — 26.  "  And  the  nations  of  them  that  are  saved  shall 
walk  in  the  light  of  it ;  and  the  kings  of  the  earth  do  bring 
their  glory  and  honour  into  it;  and  the  gates  of  it  shall  not  be 
shut  at  all  by  day ;  for  there  shall  be  no  night  there.  And 
they  shall  bring  the  glory  and  honours  of  the  nations  into  it." 

The  states  or  kingdoms  of  the  saved  will  live  and  act  under 
the  genial  influence  of  knowledge  and  instruction,  which,  pro- 
ceeding from  God  and  the  Lamb,  constitute  a  permanent  privi- 
lege of  the  celestial  polity.  The  kings  and  nations  of  the  earth, 
the  different  rulers,  and  powers,  and  principalities  in  the  new 
state  and  order  of  things,  will  bring  their  glory  and  honour  into 


209 

the  sacred  city,  will  render  every  mark  of  regard  and  devotion 
to  this  theocratical  polity. 

The  gates  not  being  shut  by  day,  and  there  being  no  night, 
the  gates  consequently  are  never  shut.  All  will  be  peace  and 
security;  and  among  its  citizens  will  be  found  only  the  pure,  the 
innocent,  and  the  lover  of  truth. 

Verse  27.  "  And  there  shall  in  no  wise  enter  into  it  any  thing 
that  defileth,  neither  whatsoever  worketh  abomination  or  maketh 
a  lie,  but  they  which  are  written  in  the  Lamb's  book  of  life." 

None  who  practice  immorality,  idolatry  or  deception,  will 
be  found  among  its  citizens.  Its  citizens  will  be  no  other  than 
those  who  keep  the  commandments  of  God,  and  whose  names 
are  registered  in  Christ's  book  of  life. 

Chap.  xxii.  1 — 5.  "  And  he  showed  me  a  pure  river  of  water 
of  life,  clear  as  crystal,  proceeding  out  of  the  throne  of  God  and 
of  the  Lamb.  In  the  midst  of  the  street  of  it,  and  on  either 
side  of  the  river,  was  there  the  tree  of  life,  which  bare  twelve 
manner  of  fruits,  and  yielded. her  fruit  every  month;  and  the 
leaves  of  the  tree  were  for  the  healing  of  the  nations.  And 
there  shall  be  no  more  curse ;  but  the  throne  of  God  and  of 
the  Lamb  shall  be  in  it,  and  his  servants  shall  serve  him.  And 
they  shall  sec  his  face,  and  his  name  shall  be  in  their  foreheads. 
And  there  shall  be  no  night  there;  and  they  need  no  candle, 
neither  light  of  the  sun  for  the  Lord  God  giveth  them  light ; 
and  they  shall  reign  for  ever  and  ever." 

The  fountain  of  living  water  proceeding  from  the  throne  of 
God  and  of  the  Lamb,  represents  a  fountain  of  truth  free  from 
the  muddy  admixture  of  error,  proceeding  from  a  divine  authori- 
tative source  and  easy  of  access  to  all. 

This  primary  divine  fountain  of  pure  truth  will  serve  to 
nourish  that  more  substantial  and  invigorating  truth,  (food  for 
the  intellect,)  which  is  represented  to  grow  upon  the  tree  of 
life.  Happy  is  the  man  that  findeth  wisdom,  and  the  man  that 
getteth  understanding.  She  is  a  tree  of  life  to  them  that  lay 
hold  upon  her. 


210 

The  water  of  the  river  of  life,  and  the  fruits  of  the  tree  of 
life,  represent  the  abundant  means  and  opportunities  which 
those  who  live  under  this  divine  polity  will  be  supplied,  in  order 
to  slake  their  thirst  for  truth,  and  to  preserve  intellectual  life  in 
health  and  vigour.  And  there  shall  be  no  more  curse ;  no  mark 
of  the  divine  displeasure ;  no  penal  inflictions ;  but  the  throne 
of  God  and  of  the  Lamb  shall  be  in  it.  God  in  Christ  will  be 
constantly  present  in  his  authority,  and  his  servants  shall  serve 
him — here  all  will  be  ready  and  cheerful  obedience  on  the  part 
of  his  ministers.  And  they  shall  see  his  face — they  shall  be 
admitted  to  near  intercourse  with  him.  And  his  name  shall  be 
on  their  foreheads — they  will  be  recognized  as  the  faithful  minis- 
ters of  God.  And  there  shall  be  no  night  then ;  no  ignorance ; 
no  intellectual  darkness;  no  dark  ages.  And  they  shall  need 
no  candle,  neither  light  of  the  sun,  for  the  Lord  God  giveth 
them  light.  They  shall  be  dependent  upon  a  divine  source  for 
intellectual  light,  and  no  longer  need  the  means  by  which  know- 
ledge is  now  diffused. 

Verses  6 — 9.  "  And  he  said  unto  me,  These  sayings  are  faith- 
ful and  true.  And  the  Lord  God  of  the  holy  prophets  sent  his 
angel  to  show  unto  his  servant  the  things  which  must  shortly 
be  done.  Behold,  I  come  quickly;  blessed  is  he  that  keepeth 
the  sayings  of  the  prophecy  of  this  book.  And  I,  John,  saw 
these  things  and  heard  them.  And  when  I  had  heard  and  seen, 
I  fell  down  to  worship  before  the  feet  of  the  angel  which  shewed 
me  these  things.  Then  saith  he  unto  me,  See  thou  do  it  not, 
for  I  am  thy  fellow-servant  and  of  thy  brethren,  the  prophets, 
and  of  them  which  keep  the  sayings  of  this  book ;  worship  God." 

And  the  angel  assures  the  apostle,  that  what  had  been  said 
concerning  the  polity  of  the  New  Jerusalem  was  certainly  true. 
The  angel  also  declares  that  he  was  sent  for  the  purpose  of 
making  known  to  the  ministers  of  God  future  events,  the  be- 
ginning of  which  was  near  at  hand,  especially  the  coming  of 
Christianity  in  victory  over  the  Roman  pagan  government. 
The  angel  pronounces  the  man  blessed  who  heeds  the  direc- 


211 

tions  and  disclosures  of  this  book,  and  regulates  his  conduct 
accordingly. 

And  now  the  apostle  again  forgets  himself  and  falls  prostrate 
to  worship  before  the  angel,  but  the  angel  would  not  allow  him 
to  do  so,  declaring  that  he,  the  angel,  was  but  a  minister,  a  fel- 
low of  the  apostles  and  prophets,  and  of  those  who  practice  a 
pure  Christianity  according  to  the  directions  of  this  book,  and 
that  the  apostle  must  make  God  the  object  of  his  worship,  and 
render  to  him  his  homage  and  thanks  for  these  prophecies,  and 
not  to  an  angel  or  departed  saint. 

Verses  10  and  11.  "  And  he  saith  unto  me,  Seal  not  the  say- 
ings of  the  prophecy  of  this  book,  for  the  time  is  at  hand.  He 
that  is  unjust,  let  him  be  unjust  still ;  and  he  which  is  filthy,  let 
him  be  filthy  still;  and  he  that  is  righteous,  let  him  be  righteous 
still ;  and  he  that  is  holy,  let  him  be  holy  still." 

The  time  being  near  for  the  fulfilment  of  the  first  of  the  pre- 
dictions of  this  book,  the  apostle  is  urged  to  publish  the  book 
without  delay.  What  is  said  concerning  the  just  and  unjust, 
the  pure  and  impure,  continuing  in  their  respective  characters, 
may  mean  that  the  unjust  and  impure  will  not  be  drawn  from 
their  evil  course  by  all  the  evils  which  this  prophecy  has  de- 
nounced against  them,  while  the  just  and  pure  will  persevere  in 
their  course  notwithstanding  all  the  persecutions  and  oppression 
which,  according  to  these  predictions,  await  them  in  the  course 
of  human  events.  The  language  of  Daniel  is  of  similar  im- 
port. 

Many  shall  be  purified  and  made  white  and  tried,  but  the 
wicked  shall  do  wickedly,  and  none  of  the  wicked  shall  under- 
stand, but  the  wise  shall  understand. 

Verses  12-15.  "  And  behold,  I  come  quickly ;  and  my  re- 
ward is  with  me,  to  give  every  man  according  as  his  work  shall 
be.  I  am  Alpha  and  Omega,  the  beginning  and  the  end,  the 
first  and  the  last.  Blessed  are  they  that  do  his  commandments, 
that  they  may  have  right  to  the  tree  of  life,  and  may  enter  in 
through  the  gates  into  the  city.     For  without  are  dogs,  and  sor- 


212 

cerers,  and  whoremongers,   and  murderers,   and  idolaters,  and 
whosoever  loveth  and  maketh  a  lie." 

The  angel  here  repeats  the  speedy  coming  of  the  author  and 
finisher  of  the  Christian  faith,  to  overthrow,  hy  the  influence  of 
his  religion,  the  pagan,  persecuting  power,  and  to  favour  the 
professors  of  Christianity,  according  as  their  works  correspond 
with  their  profession.  They  who  do  the  commandments  of  God, 
are  pronounced  by  the  angel  blessed,  as  being  destined  to  a 
right  of  participation  in  the  celestial,  theocratical  polity,  while 
the  wicked  and  vicious  are  denounced  by  him  as  excluded  from 
such  right. 

Verses  16-21.  "  I  Jesus  have  sent  mine  angel  to  testify  un- 
to you  these  things  in  the  churches.  I  am  the  root  and  the 
offspring  of  David,  and  the  bright  and  morning  star." 

And  the  spirit  and  the  bride  say  come,  and  let  him  that  hear- 
eth  say  come.  And  let  him  that  is  athirst  come.  And  who- 
soever will,  let  him  take  the  water  of  life  freely.  For  I  testify 
unto  every  man  that  heareth  the  words  of  the  prophecy  of  this 
book,  If  any  man  shall  add  unto  these  things,  God  shall  add 
unto  him  the  plagues  that  are  written  in  this  book  :  And  if  any 
man  shall  take  away  from  the  words  of  the  book  of  this  pro- 
phecy, God  shall  take  away  his  part  out  of  the  book  of  life, 
and  out  of  the  holy  city,  and  from  the  things  which  are  written 
in  this  book. 

He  which  testifieth  these  things,  saith,  surely  I  come  quick- 
ly ;  Amen.  Even  so,  come,  Lord  Jesus.  The  grace  of  our 
Lord  Jesus  Christ  be  with  you  all.     Amen." 

The  prophecies  of  this  book  are  the  testimony  of  Christ  to 
Christian  communities,  the  author  of  them  is  declared  to  be  both 
the  root  and  the  offspring  of  David.  He  is,  in  his  Divine 
nature  David's  Lord,  and  in  his  humanity,  David's  son.  He  is 
the  bright  and  morning  star  in  the  sense  of  the  greatest  and 
most  illustrious  teacher  among  all  the  sons  of  men. 

The  invitation  to  come  to  Christianity  and  drink  of  the  foun- 
tain of  truth  is  made  known  by  inspiration  and  by  the  Church, 


213 

and  is  to  be  made  known  by  all  who  hear  it.  And  all  men  are 
declared  welcome  to  come  and  drink  gratuitously  of  this  foun- 
tain. 

We  are  cautioned  how  we  deal  unfairly  with  the  contents  of 
this  book,  and  we  are  assured  that  they  who  do  so  will  be  ex- 
cluded from  a  participation  in  the  blessings  of  the  celestial 
polity. 

The  author  of  these  prophecies,  the  true  and  faithful  witness, 
declares,  in  conclusion,  his  speedy  coming,  to  begin  the  fulfil- 
ment of  his  prophetic  testimony.  And  the  answer  of  the 
apostle  is,  Amen.  So  come,  Lord  Jesus,  and  finally  the  apostle 
in  a  benediction,  wishes  that  the  mercy,  the  charity  of  Christ, 
may  abide  with  his  Christian  brethren. 


19 


215 


RECAPITULATION. 

The  sixth  chapter  foretells  a  series  of  changes  in  military  and 
imperial  power,  from  the  beginning  of  the  second  century  down 
to  the  reign  of  Dioclesian;  the  persecution  under  Dioclesian, 
and  the  fall  and  ruin  of  Paganism  under  Constantine  and  his 
successors. 

The  seventh  chapter  foretells  the  general  apostacy  which,  in 
its  individual  (not  corporate)  character,  occurred  in  the  course 
of  the  fourth  century,  before  the  breaking  loose  of  barbarian 
power  from  all  restraint. 

The  eighth  chapter  foretells  certain  calamities  or  woes,  which, 
after  this  general  apostacy  of  the  fourth  century,  were  to  befall 
the  Roman  world. 

These  calamities  are,  the  ruin  by  war  and  devastation  of  the 
flourishing  part  of  the  Roman  population,  including  families  of 
rank  and  wealth  j  the  fall  of  the  people  of  the  Roman  city  from 
their  eminent  condition  of  security  and  power;  the  prevalence  of 
Arianism  among  many  of  the  foreign  nations  settled  and  estab- 
lished in  the  empire,  together  with  the  partial  obscuration  of 
the  imperial  and  subordinate  lights  of  the  Roman  world.  We 
find  the  imperial  power  in  a  partial  state  of  obscuration  when, 
in  the  year  476,  Augustulus  was  compelled  to  resign  and  abolish 
the  imperial  office  in  the  west. 

These  four  woes  were  nearly  cotemporaneous,  but  in  the  last 
verse  of  the  chapter  three  more  are  announced,  which  are  to  be 
consecutive. 

The  next,  the  ninth  chapter,  describes  two  of  these  three 
woes.  In  the  first  one  of  the  three,  the  angry  elements  of  sect 
and  fanaticism,  which  had  been  kept  under,  are  freed  from  con- 
finement, and  rising  into  notice  and  consideration,  injuriously 


216 

affect  supreme  authority  and  the  public  mind.  Along  with 
these  elements,  and  for  awhile  concealed  among  them,  rise  also 
into  notice  and  consideration,  the  Mahomedans  of  Arabia. 

These  zealous  and  fanatical  Mahomedans,  by  their  success  in 
war,  and  by  their  accusations  of  idolatry,  for  a  long  time  an- 
noyed the  Roman  Christians,  exciting  them  to  ineffectual  efforts 
to  destroy  the  Roman  idolatrous  spirit  and  worship  existing 
among  them. 

What  opened  this  well  of  angry  fanaticism,  was  the  contro- 
versy excited  by  Nestorius. 

This  controversy  began  in  some  misunderstanding  concerning 
the  sense  in  which  Christ  was  the  Son  of  God,  as  distinct  from 
his  humanity;  and  in  the  course  of  its  progress,  besides  other 
fanatical  sects,  it  brought  out  the  Mahomedans,  who  denied  that 
God  had  a  son  at  all  in  respect  to  his  divine  nature. 

In  the  next,  or  second  of  the  three  woes,  the  Turkish  Ma- 
homedans act  a  conspicuous  part. 

For  awhile  they  are  confined  in  their  fanatical  power  and  in- 
fluence in  the  presence  of  the  G-reeks,  by  the  power  of  the 
Moguls  and  Tartars  on  the  one  side,  and  by  the  Latin  crusades 
on  the  other,  but  being  in  the  fifteenth  century  loosed  from 
this  confinement,  they  proved  very  destructive  to  Roman  Chris- 
tianity. % 

In  the  tenth  and  eleventh  chapters,  our  attention  is  taken 
back  to  a  certain  period  of  one  thousand  two  hundred  and  sixty 
years,  cotemporaneous  with  the  two  woes,  during  which  the 
apostacy  is  to  exist  in  a  flourishing  state,  and  to  treat  in  a  de- 
grading manner  the  polity  and  external  worship  of  the  Christian 
Church. 

We  are  given  to  understand,  that  at  the  end  of  this  period, 
protestant  teaching,  for  three  and  a  half  years,  will  receive  some 
peculiarly  severe  treatment  at  the  hands  of  the  apostacy  in  its 
Catholic  corporate  character ;  that  this  treatment  will  be  imme- 
diately followed  with  some  calamity  upon  the  Roman  polity, 
and  that  when  this  calamity  is  past,  the  second  woe  is  past,  as 


217 

well  as  the  one  thousand  two  hundred  and  sixty  years.  The 
first  part  of  this  second  woe  conies  through  the  Turks,  hut  the 
final  part  is  in  some  way  connected  with  Protestantism.  It  is 
declared  that  the  third  woe  will  follow  quickly  at  the  end  of  the 
second. 

In  the  next  three  chapters,  twelfth,  thirteenth  and  fourteenth, 
we  are  taken  hack  to  the  time  of  Constantine,  and  are  conducted 
down  again  beyond  the  one  thousand  two  hundred  and  sixty  years 
to  the  third  woe. 

The  twelfth  chapter  describes  the  conflict  between  Paganism 
and  Christianity  in  their  respective  corporate  characters,  and 
predicts  the  decline  of  the  original  Christian  corporation,  Ca- 
tholic, into  a  state  of  obscurity  and  of  imperfect  polity  during  the 
one  thousand  two  hundred  and  sixty  years  of  the  flourishing  of 
the  apostacy. 

The  thirteenth  chapter  describes  the  apostacy  as  consisting, 
during  this  period,  of  a  corporation  Catholic  and  a  corporation 
local,  together  with  the  papacy  in  its  representative  Catholic 
character. 

The  fourteenth  chapter  brings  us  beyond  the  one  thousand 
two  hundred  and  sixty  years  into  a  period  of  increase  and  joy 
to  the  remnants  of  pure  worshippers,  and  of  distress  and  woe  to 
Rome  and  the  apostacy. 

Being  now  brought  down  again  to  the  third  woe,  our  atten- 
tion is  particularly  called  to  that  woe  in  the  two  next  chapters, 
the  fifteenth  and  sixteenth.  This  third  woe  completes  the  in- 
flictions of  an  angry  providence  upon  the  Roman  world,  to  the 
joy  of  those  who  have  proved  themselves  victorious  over  the 
power  and  influence  of  the  apostacy. 

It  is  divided  into  seven  parts.  In  the  first  part,  some  events 
befalls  the  Romans,  and  proves  very  annoying  to  the  partisans 
of  Roman  Catholicism  and  of  the  papacy.  In  the  second  part, 
some  principle  is  infused  into  the  population  at  large,  which  will 
prove  mortally  destructive  to  the  existence  of  Roman  corporate 
life  among  them.     The  third  part  relates  to  the  more  cultivated 


218 

population  and  communities  in  communion  and  friendship  with 
the  Romans.  They  will  become  imbued  with  some  principle 
extremely  hostile  to  the  persecutors  of  a  pure  Christianity. 

In  the  fourth  part,  the  intellectual  and  the  moral  influence  of 
the  supreme  authority  acts  with  great  power  and  severity  upon 
the  men  of  the  apostacy,  and  proves  very  annoying  to  them. 

In  the  fifth  part  some  calamity  befalls  the  seat  or  administra- 
tion of  Roman  Catholic  government,  depriving  it  of  its  glory 
and  influence,  and  affecting  the  men  of  the  apostacy  with  ex- 
treme chagrin. 

In  the  sixth  part,  Roman  polity  loses  the  support  of  Greek  or 
Russian  influence  and  example,  and  this  loss  is  followed  with  a 
general  controversy  on  the  subject  of  invoking  demons  or  me- 
diators. 

In  the  seventh  part,  something  occurs  in  the  public  mind, 
(the  element  upon  which  public  authority  depends  for  its  life;) 
and  this  occurrence  will  be  followed  with  the  greatest  change 
or  revolution  ever  experienced  in  the  Roman  world.  And  this 
change,  or  revolution,  will  be  followed  with  the  ruin  of  Roman 
polity  and  all  idolatrous  polities;  with  the  reduction  of  the  dis- 
tinguished portions  of  the  population  into  a  common  standing, 
and  with  the  fall  of  some  heavy  calamity  upon  the  men  of  the 
apostacy.  i 

We  have  had  as  yet  no  account  of  the  apostacy  in  its  corporate 
character  during  and  beyond  the  third  woe.  And  we  have  had 
moreover  but  a  partial  account  of  the  ruin  of  Roman  polity,  and 
of  the  circumstances  of  the  great  controversy  on  demon  invoca- 
tion. These  three  points  are  more  particularly  noticed  in  the 
three  next  chapters,  the  seventeenth,  eighteenth  and  nineteenth. 

In  the  seventeenth  chapter,  Rome  is  exhibited  to  us  as  a  body 
politic,  sustained  by  the  Catholic  body  politic  and  its  different 
sovereigns  or  states.  The  different  Catholic  sovereigns  and  states 
for  awhile  lend  their  power  to  this  Catholic  body,  but  after  the 
end  of  the  one  thousand  two  hundred  and  sixty  years,  and  during 
the  course  of  the  third  woe,  they  will  abandon  Roman  Catholi- 


219 

cism,  and  their  regard  for  Rome  as  a  body  politic,  will  be  changed 
into  hatred  and  penal  inflictions ;  and  they  will  deprive  her  of 
her  wealth  and  make  her  despicable. 

The  eighteenth  chapter  describes  the  ruin  of  Rome  more  espe- 
cially as  a  polity,  and  this  ruin  of  Roman  polity  in  the  beginning 
of  the  nineteenth  chapter,  is  celebrated  as  redounding  to  the 
praise  of  a  righteous  providence,  and  as  about  to  be  performed 
with  a  happy  and  glorious  change  in  the  condition  of  Chris- 
tianity as  a  body  politic. 

From  the  latter  part  of  the  chapter  we  learn,  that  the  great 
controversy  on  the  invocation  of  mediators,  will  terminate  un- 
favourably to  Roman  teaching  and  Roman  Catholicism,  and  to 
the  sovereigns  and  rulers  who  aid  and  abet  them  in  their  idolatry. 

We  have  now  reached  the  end  of  Roman  teaching,  of  Roman 
polity,  and  of  Roman  Catholicism. 

The  apostacy,  in  its  corporate  character,  has  finished  its  ca- 
reer, and  the  third  and  last  woe  is  now  past  in  all  its  parts, 
and  Christianity,  as  a  body  politic,  is  now  to  exhibit  a  fair  and 
shining  character  for  purity  and  righteousness,  and  to  enter  into  • 
a  more  endearing  relation  of  cordial  obedience  and  submission 
to  the  authority  of  Christ.  We  have  been  informed  that  in 
the  great  controversy  on  demon  invocation,  the  infidel  party 
took  the  side  of  Roman  teaching  and  Roman  Catholicism,  but 
how  this  party  was  affected  by  the  issue  of  that  controversy,  we 
have  not  as  yet  been  informed.  This  information  is  given  in 
the  twentieth  chapter.  While  Roman  polity,  Roman  teaching, 
and  Roman  Catholicism,  at  the  end  of  this  controversy  pass  into 
a  reprobate  state,  from  which  they  are  never  to  recover,  the  in- 
fidel party  of  opposers  and  deceivers  meet  with  a  milder  doom, 
and  one  from  which  they  are  to  recover  after  the  lapse  of  a  thou- 
sand years. 

From  the  nineteenth  chapter  we  learn,  that  during  these 
thousand  years,  (the  Millenium,)  infidels  will  exist  in  a  state  of 
degradation  and  restraint  in  their  corporate  character;  that 
Christianity,  as  truly  taught  and  unfeignedly  believed  by  men 


220 

who  loved  not  their  lives  unto  the  death,  will  reign  and  flourish 
throughout  the  world ;  that  at  the  end  of  the  Millenium  the  in- 
fidel party  will  recover  from  their  degradation  and  restrained 
state,  and  deceive  the  turbulent  part  of  mankind  into  vain 
attempts  to  overwhelm  Christian  power  and  destroy  the  polity 
of  the  Christian  Church;  and  that  this  kind  of  opposers  and 
deceivers  will  then  pass  into  the  reprobate  state  from  which 
there  is  no  recovery,  and  that  then  will  follow  the  general  resur- 
rection and  the  general  judgment,  and  the  end  of  the  present 
system  of  things. 

In  the  twenty-first  and  twenty-second  chapters,  we  have  a 
description  of  the  new  system  which  is  to  follow  the  old.  In 
the  new  system,  they  whose  names  are  written  in  the  book  of 
life,  will  be  made  happy  for  ever  in  the  more  immediate  pre- 
sence and  favour  of  God,  while  opposers,  and  deceivers,  and 
culumniators,  and  the  dissolute  and  wicked,  will  have  their  part 
in  an  eternal  state  of  condemnation  and  woe. 

These  two  last  chapters  call  our  attention  more  especially  to 
that  celestial,  theocratical  polity  which  is  to  be  an  important 
part  of  the  new  system.  That  polity  will  be  gifted  with  every 
necessary  attribute  and  appendage,  to  render  those  who  live 
under  it  perfectly  and  immutably  happy. 

To  this  glorious  polity  will  the  Son  of  Grod  admit  his  bride, 
the  Church,  when  at  the  general  resurrection  he  shall  come 
down  from  heaven  to  take  her  home  to  his  father's  house,  and 
make  her  happy  there  for  ever.  Blessed  are  they  who  are 
called  to  this  final  marriage-supper  of  the  Lamb.  Blessed  are 
they  who  do  his  commandments,  that  they  might  have  right  to 
the  tree  of  life,  and  enter  in  through  the  gates  into  the  city.  It 
is  worth  living  for  such  an  end. 


THE   END. 


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